Debts
by sailorjupiterox
Summary: She could never have another relationship, he couldn't keep one longer than one night. The daughter of a loan shark and his client? It could never happen ... AU, SxD, SenxGen, M - content of a mature nature.
1. Chapter 1

**HI GUYS ! Did you miss me ?? :) I hope you did ...**

**ANYWHO! Well, as you all know I deleted all my stories a while back, to make room for a whole bunch of new stories. BUT I will re-write the old ones if at least five people review me telling me to re-write one of my stories (five people per story) OH, and Anon's don't count ;)**

**Sorry - but it's a lot of effort at the moment, and I'm just getting over a massive meltdown.  
So without further ado, this is my new story - it's seems like ages that I've been on here ! I've actually really missed it (N). Yes, I have a problem. Also, I've given up coffee for lent (:(), so I'm a bit UUHHH at the moment, so on Sundays (when lent doesn't count) I get most of my stuff done :).**

**So here you go my loving readers !**

_**"a teenage vow in a parking lot, till tonight do us part!"**_

* * *

There is a part of Juuban that can only be described as dark and dingy. The buildings were all cheaply built and a dull brown colour. On the ground lay at least an inch of debris that swirled in torment at any sign of movement. Coming upon the brink of nightfall, a dull orange glow emitted from the street lamps, barely illuminating the streets below. The stench of alcohol and cigarettes and trash is everywhere, increased by the occasional drunkard to pass by. A man was slumped against a wall, smashed bottle shards around his hand and a messy laceration on the back of his head. No one would come to help him.

It would have been torn down and turned into a gated community years ago if not for him; the powerful Mr. Tsukino that kept this dank world alive. Mr. Tsukino was a vile, short tempered man and the most powerful loan shark in all of Juuban. Upon entering his office you would see Mr. Tsukino behind the mahogany desk that occupied most of the space. A cot was pushed to one side and behind him were three or four file cabinets. Aside from the desk, Mr. Tsukino was the most imposing thing in the entire room.

His daughter Serena sat at the left side of the desk, a bright light in the otherwise severe room. This was despite her severe attire; a black long-sleeved turtle-neck jumper ending right above her knees, her feet demurely crossed underneath her seat and her hands serenely folded in her lap, her knee-length platinum blond hair pulled back into a tight ponytail, it's tail cascading down to the floor.

Mr. Tsukino used his daughter as a prize, bait to lure in new and old customers alike. The man standing uncomfortably in front of his desk, for example, had recently had his share of the beautiful Serena. She found it repulsive, but who was she to say no. No one says no to Mr. Tsukino, not even his daughter.

"I've given you three weeks," Ken said, angrily.

"Yes, I am in your debt for that, but if you could just lend me—"

"You are already in my debt," Ken interjected. "Get me the money by tomorrow."

"Yes, Mr. Tsukino," the man said, nodding and backing away.

"I _will_ see you tomorrow, yes? If not, I'm sure the gentlemen behind you will love to have a little chat about why not."

The burly man stood to the left of Tsukino smirked and winked at Serena. She just turned to look at the crack in the wall. It looked about an inch longer since yesterday. The poor man left in a hurry.

"Can I go now?" she asked, her gaze stuck to the wall. "I'm meeting someone."

"No. One more client," Ken said impatiently, looking at his daughter's profile.

Serena didn't move. It was safer to avoid showing emotion in the presence of her father. A small sigh did escape her lips, though.

A loud knock came from the door.

"Come in," Ken ordered.

The door swung open, revealing Mr. Darien Shields, a man who emanated almost as much power and control as her father. Almost.

"Mr. Tsukino," he greeted, walking across the room.

"Mr. Shields," Ken said, bowing his head, "what can I do for you?"

Serena was astounded. This Mr. Darien Shields was not like any of her father's usual clients. First of all, he probably was only a couple of years older than herself. Second, the man was gorgeous. His black hair cast provocatively over his forehead, with deep blue eyes peering into her father's, their intensity shocking Serena for a couple of seconds. And he was tall. Taller than tall at what looked to be six foot two at least, making Serena feel tiny at her five foot one. His intimidating demeanour grew as she noticed his attire; a black suit and navy blue tie, bringing out those intense eyes. She could tell behind his expensive suit was a very ripped body. Spotting the glint in his eyes and his casual display of power in his stance, she suspected the man knew his powers of attraction and used them often to his advantage.

"My business is running out of money. I have reason to believe you might be interested in an investment," Darien declared.

"Straight to the point. I like that," Mr. Tsukino observed, scrutinizing Mr. Shields, eyes trailing up and down his body in a manner that would have made most men uncomfortable.

"Company?" Ken asked, eyes fixed on Mr. Shields' in order to try and break him.

"Shields Enterprise Casino," Mr. Shields stated.

"Ah, yes. I have gone there on occasion. I like your establishment," Mr. Tsukino said, half to himself.

"It would be a mutually beneficial arrangement," Mr. Shields added blandly.

"How much?" Mr. Tsukino asked.

"As much as you deem fit," Mr. Shields offered, lips returning to their harsh line.

Serena gulped, fearful of what this man might mean to her in the future and whether or not this pleased her. He certainly peaked her interest. He didn't sneak glances at her chest when he thought her father wasn't looking. In fact, he hadn't looked at her at all. Why did this suddenly bother her? Shouldn't she be glad?

"Serena, get me Mr. Shields' file," Mr. Tsukino ordered.

Serena looked over to her father and nodded, glancing quickly back at Mr. Shields. She rose from her chair and walked to a file cabinet behind the table. She knew he was looking at her then, as if he had only just noticed her. Her hands were shaking at the thought of Mr. Shields looking at her. It was probably only because she was getting something he valued. She had a feeling he wouldn't give her two shakes if he had seen her in any other capacity. In fact, he hadn't. Serena hadn't seen him glance her way once during the entire exchange. She could feel his thunderous eyes on her as she brought the file out. Turning around she found that he was still looking at her, eyes blazing as she walked to the front of the desk to give her father the file.

"Here you go," she said quietly.

Mr. Tsukino looked down at the file. Serena looked at it too. Not like she was interested. She just wanted to avoid Mr. Shields' penetrating gaze.

"Everything seems to be in order," Mr. Tsukino said sternly, pulling out a chequebook from a drawer in the desk and writing out a cheque.

"Yes," Mr. Tsukino muttered. "Mr. Shields, I believe you have yourself a deal."

"Thank you sir," Mr. Shields said, a small smile of satisfaction at the corner of his mouth breaking his cool façade.

Mr. Shields came up to the desk and took the cheque from Mr. Tsukino's outstretched hand.

"Make sure you use it wisely," Mr. Tsukino warned.

Mr. Shields nodded, not breaking their eye contact. "It will be safe with me."

Mr. Tsukino smiled, took a quick glance at Serena, and looked down at the paperwork on his desk, an indication of dismissal. With that, Mr. Shields sauntered out of the room, his confidence apparent.

"He sure was a looker," Mr. Tsukino observed, still looking at his paperwork.

"I didn't notice," Serena lied, face still passive and serene. "I've got to go now."

"Very well. Don't be late for dinner."

"I'm staying at Mina's," Serena reminded him, rising from her seat. "I've got to get ready."

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said, ending the conversation.

Serena nodded and left the room, head held high. She was Serena Tsukino, daughter of Mr. Ken Tsukino; no one touched her without her father's permission, and they certainly were not of those at liberty to do so.

–

When Serena got out of her father's business was another thing entirely. She had a black tote bag around her shoulder with her clothes and such for the night, keeping her head down to avoid any unwanted attention.

She walked slowly, the dirt and debris taking flight in her wake. As Serena walked, she thought about her friend and how innocent she was. Mina didn't even know about the circumstances regarding her father's "employment." She still thought Serena was a virgin. Serena had jumped that fence a while ago, but she still liked to think that she had kept some of her virginity. It wasn't as if it was something she wanted to do. Outside of her father's hold she was a born-again virgin. In all honesty, now that she had done it, she didn't think sex was anything to make a big deal about.

"Serena?" someone called out.

Looking around, Serena's crystalline blue eyes fell on Lita Kino crossing the road to reach the blonde. The fierce brunette was holding hands with her long-term boyfriend; Taiki Allstate. Taiki was a tall, taut, muscular man with bright brown eyes and wavy chestnut hair that brushed against his shoulder blades from not getting it cut in a while, a few strands falling across his forehead.

"Hey Leets, Taiki," Serena greeted. "Where you going?"

"We were going to go to Oasis, but we heard you guys are going to Crown's," Smiling, Lita and Taiki both began to walk with Serena, watching her expression carefully.

"Yeah, I'm not sure about Ames," Serena said. "She said she has studying to do, but I think it has something to do with this new boy she's mentioned."

"Is his name Zoicite Williams?" Taiki asked. "Cause I was talking with this lad at my gym, and he said he was seeing someone called Amy."

"Now that you mention it, I think I heard her call him Zoicite or Zoi or something," Serena muttered.

"Maybe we'll see them tonight then," Lita said absent mindedly. "What about you? Any new men in your life?"

"Not a flying chance in hell. I don't want to be in a relationship right now anyways," Serena answered offhandedly, thinking back to Mr. Shields. Her friend probably wouldn't think he would count.

"Okay," Lita muttered. "Oh, Mina said she met a girl named Raye that she wants to introduce to us tonight."

"That's great," Serena said distantly.

"Serena, you are not going to Crown's in your work clothes!" a familiar voice shouted from above.

Looking up, Serena smiled. "Of course not. I've got a change of clothes in here."

"Good, get up here and get dressed. The taxi's gonna be here in ten minutes!" Mina shouted. The blonde was sporting a red bow to hold back some of her hair; small black dress short, with dainty black heels and a black top that clung to her body like a second skin.

"Crap!" Serena muttered, jogging up the stairs to Mina's apartment.

Not even bothering to go all the way in to the bathroom, she stripped off her clothes in the living room, pulling out a tight peacock blue t-shirt, a black pleated mini skirt and black heels. Thankful that she had already waxed her legs two days previously, she pulled on the top and slipped into the skirt and heels.

Running to the bathroom, being as careful as she could not to fall in the heels, she washed her face to stop the flush that wanted to reside from her day.

Muttering to herself, she dried her face and took her hair out of its ponytail, running a hand through her hair. Today had been yet another reminder that she wanted to have a talk with her father about their arrangement. She couldn't continue to sell her body in such a way just so he could increase his client base! Biting her lip, she closed her eyes; a feeling of annoyance arousing within her.

"Come on Serena, you need to relax," she murmured. Shaking her head, she left the bathroom, steadying her feet.

"Serena, come on!" Mina shouted from the bottom of the stairs.

Serena smiled and walked down the stairs, slamming the door and grabbing hold of the banister.

"You shut the door?" Mina asked once Serena had gotten outside.

"Yep," Serena said, nodding. "Come on, let's go!"

"Wait. You need to meet my friend, Raye," Mina said, pulling a black haired girl by the wrist making Serena notice her.

The girl was wearing a mid-thigh length black skirt with a blood red top that hung loosely around her midriff and tight almost everywhere else, her tanned hand was holding the pale on of a man next to her. He had blonde hair that seemed slightly windswept, his clothes seemed to compliment his ectomorphic frame.

"Hi Raye," Serena said awkwardly. "I'm Serena."

"Hey Serena," Raye said, flashing her a smile. Her eyes were a shade of violent purple. "This is my fiancée Jed," she said, pointing at the tall blonde man next to her.

"Nice to meet you too Jed," Serena said politely.

"Come on then!" Mina said, not giving Jed any time to speak she dragged them by the wrists to the taxi.

Serena blinked and laughed, going along with her best friend.

–

Stepping out of the taxi, Serena and her friends walked up to the front of the line, seeing people they may or may have not known waiting to get into the Crown. The people were pressed against the wall, a red rope restricting them from the rest of the pavement. The building that they were so impatiently waiting to get in was tall, wide and pounding with music.

"I think my big brother's coming tonight," Raye said, rolling her eyes.

"Is that a bad thing?" Mina asked, looking over at the woman.

"Well… he's a bit of a womanizer. Loves whisking women away for one-night stands," Raye said harshly, a crease beginning to form in her brow as she walked.

"He's not that bad," Jed defended, a frown growing on his face too.

"You would say that; you worship him," Raye said, rolling his eyes. "Just like all his other friends."

"I resent that—"

"What's his name?" Mina asked, cutting in the lovers' spat, she turned towards the brown haired bouncer, who smiled kindly back. She smiled sweetly, stepping forward into the club.

"Darien," Raye said plainly, the bouncer smiling at her as she stepped forward also.

Serena inhaled a sharp breath. "Darien Shields?"

* * *

**So, next chapter? Please review :) It means so much! :)**

**Niamh-Chan x**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys ... now I know I haven't been as quick as I'd hoped, but if you'll let me explain; well I will ! ^_^. Now, first of all, I've not been getting much sleep due to personal reasons, and I recently aquired a paper round, so I now have some money! '.' So I've been buying anime DVD's and manga and everything, I just love it!**

**But then there's the fact that I just haven't had the time to write! I currently only have 4 pages for the next chapter, but I want to get to at least ten (which this chapter is! The first chapter was only five ... eeeeek!). Please, please, please review because if you write yourself, you will know how much it helps to know that you have some encouragement and advice. And for those of you who don't write; you should understand if you dance or if you have _any_ other hobby in the world; it's much easier and more fun when you know there's at least a few people who benefit from what you're doing (whether it's leisure or advice!)**

**Persona 4 is an amazing game, I would recommend it if you're looking for a PS2 game! I'm seriously considering becoming a gamer! It'd be a laugh!**

**I feel rather sorry for my Beta ... all she's heard in my emails is; "Oh, how's the next chapter of Debts coming along?" and "Have you nearly finished it?" But she's done an amazing job and I owe a lot to her! ^_^**

**Disclaimer; the only part of Sailor Moon that I own is this storyline and a 'Sailor Jupiter fan book' ! And soon the DVD's !!**

**_"say goodbye, as we dance with the devil tonight,"_**

* * *

"Darien Shields?"

Lita and Taiki were following closely behind, not really interested in the conversation.

The club was… unreal. The music was booming in her ears, the air dense with the stench of alcohol and sweat. A blur of dancers were in the middle of the floor, their movements appearing staggered with the strobe lights, following the rhythmic sounds of the DJ standing in the back.

"That's the one," Raye said morbidly, not noticing the heightened pitch in Serena's voice. She smiled sweetly at Serena and carried on walking. "Don't get me wrong, I still love my brother… he just irritates me with the way he treats women."

Serena frowned; Darien Shields hadn't seemed like the big brother type, nor like the womanizer type either. He had struck her as the type that uses their powers with women a little more subtlety. But, she had only met him for around five minutes, and you really couldn't even say she met him. She hadn't said a word to him, only stared at him in utter wonderment. He probably didn't even know her name.

As they reached the bar, Mina signalled the bartender for a round of drinks while Raye and Jed took a seat. Serena gingerly took a seat next to Raye as Mina and Jed started to talk about the weather.

"We're gonna go dance," Lita said, nudging Taiki towards the dance floor. The others smiled and nodded.

"Why the twenty questions? Have you had the unfortunate experience of meeting him?" Raye asked Serena.

Serena hadn't at all been paying attention to the conversation, she was so wrapped up in her thoughts, so it took her a minute to answer. "Oh no, I just think I've heard of him before," she said, shrugging.

"Good, because you are totally his type," Raye said, smiling softly.

"You think?" Serena asked, brow furrowing. He hadn't seemed to show any interest towards her at the office, and she couldn't think of any reason he could possibly have for liking her.

"Yeah. I mean, come on. You're gorgeous," Raye almost cried.

Serena blushed. "Not really. I'm just… me," she said awkwardly, taking a gulp of her drink.

"No shit," Mina muttered bitterly. "Who was it everyone wanted to be with in high school, Serena? Even the guys at my high school knew of you and wanted you."

Serena and Raye laughed. "Not all of them," Serena insisted. "I seem to remember a young boy in the year above named, oh… what was it? Malachite?" Serena asked with a smile. "Was that his name? I can't remember, was it you he was completely head over heals in love with?"

"At least I wasn't afraid of love," Mina mumbled.

Serena grinned. Grabbing the shot glass in front of her she downed it, gesturing at a guy seated at the other end of the bar that had been staring at them for the past few minutes with her head while wincing at the burn of the alcohol going down her throat.

"Well, Ms. Love, despite my obvious charms, it seems you are the one with the admirer," she said.

Mina raised an eyebrow before turning around to see the platinum haired man down the bar talking to the bartender while staring at Mina. "Shit. Is that Malachite?" she asked, her head whipping back around to the girls.

Serena raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? That's not—oh my God, it is him!" she yelled, looking at the man.

The man walked over, his eyes still glued to Mina. "Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to be Mina Aino, would you?" he asked.

Mina smiled. "Yes."

"I don't know whether you remember me; I'm Malachite Davidson. We knew each other in high school?"

"Yeah, I remember," she said softly. "Do you want to dance?"

Malachite nodded and Mina jumped down off her stool, dragging him off to the dance floor.

"Well, it looks like I'm the only one without a date," Serena muttered, taking another shot. "What a change."

Raye giggled. "Really? I would have expected you to be the one getting all the action. You're like my brother in that way. Women just flock to him the way I suspected men would flock to you."

"My dad doesn't allow me to date," Serena said dryly. "He says it 'interferes with my job'."

"And you always do what your father says?" Raye asked coyly.

"You wouldn't say that if you knew who he was or what he's like."

"What's his name? I just might."

"Ken Anderson," Serena offered.

Raye bit her lip. "I recognise the name,"

"He's a loan shark," Serena added offhandedly. "Very violent."

"I'll ask my Grandfather, he knows everyone around here," Raye said.

"Your Grandfather scares me," Jed said before Serena could ask for a name.

"I don't know why. He likes you," Raye said.

"He took me fishing," Jed began. "Of course, he forgot to mention the crocodiles that were in the area!"

"Crocodiles?" Serena exclaimed.

Jed nodded. "Crocodiles. Apparently he wanted to 'test' me."

"You passed though," Raye said, grinning.

"Barely!" Jed protested. "I could have died!"

"But you didn't. Come on, let's dance," she offered, sliding off her stool.

Jed grudgingly followed her to the dance floor, leaving Serena on her own.

"Hey there," someone said.

Looking up, Serena's eyes met with the bright green ones of the bartender. "Hi."

"Your friends ditch you?"

"Yeah," Serena answered, taking a gulp of her drink and wincing slightly.

"Same," he said, smiling.

"You're the bartender, how could your friends ditch you?" Serena asked, raising a skeptical brow.

"My friend Mal is here, but I think he's dancing with one of your friends," he said, gesturing to where Mina and Malachite were dancing.

"You're friends with Malachite?" she asked.

"Yep, best friends since High School," he said proudly. "Him, Dare, and I."

"Really? I went to the same school as Malachite, but I don't remember you."

"Oh, I went to a different school but Dare and I met him at a concert."

"Oh, right," Serena said, looking away. She bit her lip before looking back at him. "So, what's your name?"

"Andrew Crown," he replied.

"Crown? As in this club Crown?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes, well, no. My dad's the one who actually owns the place," Andrew said, smiling. He ran a hand through his blonde bangs. "I work here on weekends to help Lizzie, my little sister, out. He always forgets to hire extra people on the weekends."

"That's sweet," Serena said, grinning.

"You didn't tell me your name," he accused, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Sorry, I'm Serena. Serena Anderson," Serena said politely.

"Serena," Andrew repeated softly, a small line in between his eyebrows. "I'm sure someone mentioned that name to me today... anyway, what do you do?"

"Oh, I work for my father too," Serena said vaguely.

"Family business or something?" Andrew inquired.

"I guess you could say that," Serena agreed.

Andrew frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. It's something like that," Serena stated, getting a bit defensive.

Frowning again, Andrew pushed himself from the counter. "I better get back to work. I'll see you around Serena," he said friendly, forcing a smile.

Serena bade him a silent goodbye before picking up her bitter drink again. Mr. Shields came unwillingly to mind. Why did she suddenly want him to be there? Growling under her breath, she pushed away from the bar and jumped off her seat.

"Sere?" a familiar voice inquired.

Looking around, Serena's eyes landed on Mina and Malachite. "Yeah?"

"Where are you going?" Mina asked.

"Home," Serena answered. "I don't feel like sticking around tonight."

Malachite frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Serena shouted. "Watching you guys have fun is not as fun as it sounds," she added to herself as she turned to the door.

-

Pushing her way through the crowd, she passed by a couple making out against a wall. Surprisingly, an image of her doing the same with one Mr. Shields came to mind. He was creeping into her thoughts a lot more than she liked.

Finally getting out of the club she leaned against the wall, resisting the urge to cry at her single state. It was an uphill battle and she was close to bursting when she heard someone say her name.

Serena gasped, her eyes flying open and head flying up. Her eyes fell onto the one person she didn't want to see in her current state: Darien Shields.

"Mr. Shields?" she asked, somewhat breathlessly.

Mr. Shield smiled, a sight so foreign that it made her wonder if he had really stood in front of her father earlier that day. He was still dressed in the clothes she had seen him in before, but with a different tie and his shirt was un-tucked.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, walking closer towards her. "I thought for sure you'd be working."

Serena shook her head. "Night off."

"Oh," Shields muttered. His eyes glanced down at her haggard appearance. "What happened?"

Serena frowned at him, ready to tell him off when she realized her appearance warranted the question. "Oh. Getting out of a club is harder when you do it alone."

Shields raised an eyebrow. "You came on your own?" he asked.

"No," Serena said curtly, straightening her backbone slightly. "I was with some friends, but they all had dates."

"And you didn't, Miss Tsukino?"

"No," Serena said bluntly.

"May I ask why not?" he prodded, taking a step closer.

"Can I refrain from answering?" Serena drawled.

Shields nodded, but was uncertain why. Why would he let this girl rudely ignore his question? Just because she was slightly drunk? No!

What was it then?

"I'm sorry, that was rude," Serena blabbered, realizing her mistake. "I didn't mean to be rude, you know? I'm just tired, and I didn't really want to go, this always happens, you know? I go thinking it'll be a great night and then—you probably don't want to hear all of this. I'm sorry. I'll be going now."

"Miss Tsukino, when was the last time you just went out because you wanted to?" Shields asked with a small smile and a concerned look in his eyes.

Serena watched as his impeccable eyes penetrated her, a slight feeling of confusion left her. "How is that relevant?"

Shields shrugged, but let out a small grin. "Can I not wonder?" he asked.

Serena looked away from his gaze and down the busy street. "I better go," she said, more to herself than anyone else.

Shields blinked a few times. "Why don't you come out with me?" he asked.

Serena looked back at him, her pupils swelling at his sincerity. "I don't think my father would appreciate me having a non-work related relationship with one of his clients."

Shields raised an eyebrow. "You shouldn't always live by your father's rules," he advised. "You're what, twenty two?"

Serena bit her lip. "And?" she muttered. "Are you judging me?"

"Not at all," Shields murmured, slightly annoyed. "I just don't understand you."

"Do you need to understand me?" Serena asked. "Wait. Sorry. I'm being rude again."

Shields shook his head. "At least you're not playing nice like every other idiot who works for me."

"First of all, I do not work for you. Second, it can't be that bad. I mean, at least you have a business."

"Not really," Shields said, smiling distantly. "My Grandfather, John, co-owns it."

"Oh." Serena muttered.

"I'm never really there, but now that the school year has started again and my daughter's back in school, I have a lot more time on my hands," he said, smiling at the thought of her.

He has a daughter? Serena thought. How old was he?

"So, are you going to come with me or not?" Shields asked. "I'm going to my casino; it looks good if I make an appearance every so often."

Serena blinked herself out of her stupor. "I … uh—"

"Great!" Shields exclaimed, grinning wolfishly and grabbed her wrist gently, tugging her along the pavement. "Let's go."

Serena barely had any time to gather herself before Shields pulled her towards a taxi that seemed to be waiting for them.

He opened the door and signaled with his hand for her to get in. Doing as he wanted, she climbed in and sat down, watching as Shields got in behind her.

"Let's have some fun," Shields said, grinning lopsidedly. He slammed the door after himself and stretched his arm around Serena's shoulders, the grin still taking his lips. "Shields Enterprise Casino," he told the driver, who nodded and tipped his hat obligingly.

"As you wish, Sir," he muttered, pulling out into the streeet.

–

A tragic cigarette dangled dangerously in his mouth, a glint of aggravation in his eyes. Mr. Diamond took a final drag of his cigarette before pulling it from his mouth and throwing it on the floor. He stepped on it with his polished shoe and smoothed out a crease in his black Armani suit, a scowl on his lips.

Stepping out from the shadows, Diamond's silver-white hair glinted in the measly light from the sun which he shook away from his lifeless grey eyes. He watched as the taxi drove away with Miss Tsukino in the back, along with his life long enemy.

"Shit!" he muttered, along with another set of profanities. "Damn you Shields. You will not win."

* * *

**A/N = any of you out there?! Did you make it to the end?! REVIEW PLEASE! :)**

**If any reader has been effected by the events in this storyline, I apologise; but this is only a story - don't take it to heart!**

**Please review, it honestly helps; and as I have explained before, I barely have any motivation lately - HELP! Even if it's a 'good job' or a 'I really like this story (and your own little question)! And THANK YOU SO much for everyone who reviewed my last chapter, they all really helped - especially Silent Serenade - you're amazing :D**

**Review question; what do you think of Serena?  
Oh, and does anyone know an amazing shojo manga; something like Fruits Basket or Sailor Moon?**

**OH! And the Poll is up on my profile! Check it out :) The descriptions of the new stories are in my 'about me' bit, so read them and be truthful! :) Whichever story wins, I will write next - I promise :)**

**Niamh's out! (see you next chapter - if you can stick it! ^_^)**


	3. Chapter 3

**HEY! I'm soo sorry that this has taken me so long, but if you know me personally - I think you'll know WHY I've been so distracted :)**

**So, someone referred to the fact that it should be in Japan, because it's in Juuban. For the sake of this story, there's a place in London called 'Juuban' (there isn't really ... don't go around asking or anything ^_^!)**

**_PLEASE READ!!!!!  
_Also, there's a poll on my profile asking about what story you would like next, descriptions on my profile, please read and pick carefully! I'm in the process of writing all three of the stories that will be in that poll. Remember though, I'll keep the poll up the entire way through Debts, and then whatever story has won, then I'll split it into lovely neat chapters for you ^_^.**

**Please read and review! Now, on with the show;**

**Disclaimer; I don't own Sailor Moon *sob* are you happy now?!**

**_"You've got my head spinning, heart beating out of my chest!"_**

* * *

Chapter Three

No words could leave Serena's lips. The Casino was just too … grand for words! The tall ceiling, lined with golden architecture and pictures. The floor was a deep green colour with mahogany patterns on it. Sat on top of the carpet was the endless amounts of tables, each ones carrying different gambling games; poker, roulette, craps, everything.

Serena felt totally out of place compared to the women in dresses cutting to their knees, and the endless amounts of sleazy men who contrasted massively with the men in suits who were serving them.

Serena's mouth was hanging slightly open while Shields raised an eyebrow.  
"Are you going to start drooling or should I just get you out of that trance?" he asked, smirking.

Serena closed her mouth and tried not to laugh as she looked at him. "This place is … amazing," she commented, eyes still wide as she looked around the Casino. "How come you need a loan?"

Shields sighed. "I have reasons,"

Frowning, Serena refused herself the urge to ask the question that was flowing through her mind and looked at Shields again.

"What would you like to see first?" he asked. "The slots?"

"Yes please," Serena said quietly, smiling at him.

"Shall we?" Shields asked, holding his arm out for her to take.

Serena bit her lip slightly and nodded, setting her gentle hand on his arm.

Refusing himself the urge to gasp at the new sensations running through him, Shields smiled at the young girl and led her over to the slot machines.

A man, wearing an ill-fitting suit was slumped against a machine pressing every colourful button he could get his hands on. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be in a stupor.

Shields frowned at the sight and walked over to the man. He unhooked his arm from Serena, leaving her a few feet away from the drunkard.

Slowly, he approached the man and checked if he was awake. Smiling grimly at the stench of the man's alcoholic breath, Shields pressed an almost invisible button on the side of the machine before walking back to Serena.  
"Yet another one," he muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Are you just going to leave him?" Serena asked, a little shocked.

Shields shook his head and linked their arms again. "No, security are coming, but there's no point in alerting the rest of the Casino now is there?" He grinned wolfishly at Serena's surprised look.

"How do they know to come and get him?" she asked.

Shields tapped his nose. "My little secret," he murmured.

Serena giggled lightly at this, surprising Shields with her musical laugh. Grinning, Shields walked her around the Casino, pulling her passed some lust filled drunks with more than admiration in their eyes.

The protective attitude startled Serena, but once again she was surprised at the mystery of this man.

–

Half an hour later, the two were around a busy green table, with people squished into either side of them, Shields stood behind Serena as she sat on a bar stool that made her tall enough to see the complete table.

An employee of Shields' was stood opposite the table, an eyebrow raised at the sight in front of him. The cold and calculating Darien Shields taking a woman out? Did he not usually warm their beds before leaving them for good?

Playing '21', Serena grinned as she gained another slab of money. Shields raised an eyebrow at her winning streak and bent down to her ear.

"People like you are partly the reason for me going to your father for a loan," he muttered, his breathing light across her neck.

Serena's breathing hitched. She smiled sheepishly and turned to face him. "I'm not cheating," she said softly.

"I know, you're just too good," Shields whispered, grinning.

Serena raised an eyebrow, "you haven't seen anything."

Shields' grin widened. "Will I get to?"

Serena shrugged. "Depends," she said distantly, turning back to the table to play again.

Shields bent down, his lips ever-so-close to her ear. "On what?" he asked.

Serena smiled as she flipped over her cards again to reveal that she had once again gotten '21'. The Queen of hearts and Ace smiled up at the bartender, along with Serena.

A groan filled the table. Serena smiled apologetically and pushed herself from the table. "I'm sorry gentlemen, but I cannot force myself to beat you again."

The men all laughed apart from one who stood up. This man had his greasy hair slipped into a tight bobble at the base of his head. His beard was unshaven and straggly while his clothes hung limply on his body.

"Hey love, you shouldn't leave. You're the entertainment!" he called over, grinning foolishly.

Opening her mouth, Serena stopped herself from speaking when she felt someone beside her. Looking next to her, she saw Shields.

His height seemed to increase with his anger, glaring at the pathetic man while his hands curled into fists at his sides.

"Would you like to say that again, sir?" Shields asked through gritted teeth.

The man grinned, his crooked teeth bared to the world. "I said, she shouldn't leave. She's the best thing in this place!"

All the noise fell and silence took over.

"Get out," Shields said coldly, anger bubbling beneath his icy voice.

Everyone throughout the room held their breath as they looked back to the man.

The man laughed heartily, throwing his greasy hair back. "Why should I listen to you?" he asked, looking at Shields with anger in his veins. "I demand to see the manager!"

Shields laughed humourlessly. "I am the manager," he said haughtily. "And these nice gentlemen-" two men appeared either side of the shocked man, "-are going to escort you from the premises."

Everyone's heads turned to the two men while Shields turned towards the waiting crowds. "Well, does anyone else want to leave?" he asked, an eyebrow raised at his customers.

A murmur set around the casino and inevitably, they all went back to what they had been previously doing.

Shields turned back to Serena and sighed, "sorry, I shouldn't have let you see that."

"Why not?" Serena asked, "I don't need protecting Shields,"

Shields chuckled. "Oh I know that, but-" he cut himself off and shook his head. "Doesn't matter."

Serena raised an eyebrow. "Did you just ignore me?" she asked.

Shields shook his head. "No I didn't," he protested.

Serena grinned. "Fine, whatever; I'm used to it,"

"Can I ask a question, Miss Serena?" Shields asked.

"Only if you never call me 'Miss Serena' again," Serena replied.

Shields grinned. "Deal." He held out his arm for her, which she took, leading her to the bar. "I wanted to know, what do you actually do for your father?"

Serena stopped for half a second, before catching herself and keeping up with Shields. "I-um … that's business stuff," she stuttered.

Shields frowned and shimmied himself and her passed a couple who seemed to be leaving. "What do you mean, business stuff?"

Serena shrugged. "Well, it's not as if you're going to tell me everything about your business, are you?"

Shields raised an eyebrow. "Depends,"

Serena grinned. "On what?"

Shields laughed and looked at Serena grinning.

"Excuse me, are you Darien Shields?" someone asked.

The two turned around to find a red haired woman with violent green eyes.

Shields nodded. "Yeah, uh that's me,"

The woman laughed. "I knew it was you!" she said. "I'm Anne,"

"Oh, um that's nice," Shields commented. "I'll see you around Anne." He turned back , a hand on Serena's hip steering her back also.

"Wait!" Anne yelped, glaring slightly at Serena. "When are you next here?"

"Well I come here everyday..." he said awkwardly.

"So I'll see you tomorrow?" Anne asked hopefully.

Shields nodded unwillingly. "OK,"

"I'll see you then," Anne said, walking away.

Shields blinked. "What just happened?" he asked.

"I think you just pulled," Serena whispered.

"Here?" he asked.

Serena nodded, annoyed at the fact that it had happened in front of her. "I guess so."

Shields frowned. "Well that was odd. Shots?" he asked, grinning at Serena, who returned the grin.

–

They were sat at the bar, both of them laughing at another man who had to be escorted out.

Serena's and Shields' hands were both wrapped around two small glasses, with some sort of fiery liquid within them.

"On a count of three?" she asked.

Shields grinned. "One,"

"Two!"

"Three!" The two poured the drink into their mouths, feeling it slither down their throats and burn everything in the process.

Two clinks of glass against wood and the pair were in a fit of laughter again. Serena clutched her stomach, laughing heartily, while Shields tried to keep himself on the chair.

"Sir?" someone asked, whom both of them ignored.

"Sir?" they repeated, this time more aggravated.

"Sir!" they shouted.

Serena and Shields both stopped laughing and looked towards the man in a tux behind the bar.

"I'm sorry sir," the man said politely, clearing his throat, "but we're closing."

Shields smiled kindly. "OK, make sure this place is clean for tomorrow," he instructed, somewhat sternly.

The employee's face fell. "Pardon me sir?"

"Hello, I'm Darien Shields," Shields introduced, leaning over the bar to shake the man's hand. "You know, the owner?" he added at the man's blank face.

"Oh, I'm sorry Mr. Shields," the man said, looking down.

"No worries, I'm glad that you're able to kick people out," Shields commended. "At least you're not letting drunks stay in here over night!"

Grinning, Shields turned back to Serena and got down off his seat. He held out his arm and looked at her. "Shall we be off?" he asked.

Serena laughed lightly at his gentleman appearance and got off her seat two. Placing her hand on his arm, she kept in a quiet laugh and let him lead her.

"Goodnight," Shields said to the man behind the bar.

"You too sir,"

Serena giggled and leant her head against Shield's upper arm.

"You know Shields, you really are something," she commented.

"Please Serena, call me Darien," Shields requested with a grin.

"I don't know whether that's appropriate," Serena admitted, blushing slightly.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Shields asked, opening the door in front of them.

"Because you're my father's client," Serena said imminently.

The cool air rushed to their bodies, heightening their senses.

"Yes but that doesn't mean we can't be friends," Shields said, frowning.

"I really don't think my father would like that," Serena thought out loud.

Stopping, Shields pulled his arm around from Serena. "Why wouldn't he like that?" he asked, beginning to feel suspicious.

"I'm his daughter," Serena answered simply, trying to ignore the goosebumps appearing all over her body.

"And shouldn't your father want you to be happy?" Shields asked, brow furrowing.

Serena shook her head. "It's not like that."

Shields sighed. "And you're not going to tell me what it is like," he stated, looking away.

"I've known you for about six hours!" Serena protested.

"And you've known you're father all your life, and you'd rather protect him than tell me the truth," Shields accepted, raising his hands in surrender. "Will you do me one favour?"

Serena bit her lip. "Depends what it is."

"Call me Darien?" Shields asked, getting unusually closer to her.

Serena gasped as Shields' hands fell from the air and to her waist. "What are you doing Shields?" she asked.

Shields raised an eyebrow. "Do you want me to stop?" he asked.

"Depends," Serena grinned, glancing up at him while taking a step back.

Shields took a step forwards. "On what?" he asked, taking another step to match the one she took.

The wall hit Serena's back and Shields smiled. "Where are you going to run to next?" he asked.

Serena raised an eyebrow. "Who said I wanted to run?" she replied, smiling.

"So will you call me Darien?" Shields asked, leaning closer to her.

Serena shook her head, scuffing her hair against the wall. Shields bent closer to her.

"Why not?" he asked.

Serena bit her lip. "Did I not tell you why?" she breathed, hands pushing against his chest.

"Yes, but it's not a very good reason," Shields murmured, eyes flickering to her lips.

"It's a perfectly good reason," Serena complained.

"But not an excuse," Shields whispered.

"Yes-" Serena was cut off as Shields' lips covered her own.

He pressed them together intimately, their body heat rising as his hands roamed everywhere. She responded to him and pressed herself towards him more closely, kissing him back to a scorching intensity, hands sifting through the black locks of his hair.

–

Ken Tsukino was becoming more and more aggravated. After a very intense phone call off his colleague Diamond; he had been driving around town, searching for more than three hours for his damned daughter.

The vein in his forehead was throbbing from anxiety and his teeth were ground together in anger.

Seeing the large sign that signalled he was at Shields Enterprise Casino, Tsukino's eyes widened at the sight of two adults embraced very passionately against the wall, thanking God that his daughter was not like that.

No, only he had control over his daughter. The only problem was, would Diamond want her any more? But wait, that girl had blonde hair? She _did_ look an awful lot like Serena.

Tsukino growled under his breath, pulling his car over to the pavement and rolling down his window.

"Serena!" he shouted, watching as the young girl pulled herself away from the man.

"Crap!" He heard her curse.

–

Serena pulled herself away from Shields, only to be pulled back. "You can't go back to him," Shields muttered.

Serena shook her head. "I have to," she answered, wriggling out of his arms. "Darien, let go!"

Shields blinked in surprise. "You called me Darien," he observed.

"You asked me to didn't you?" Serena stated.

Taking advantage of his shocked state, Serena pulled away from Darien and ran to the car.

"You little slut," Tsukino muttered. "Get in the bloody car."

Serena nodded and opened the car door, sitting in the back quietly.

Darien turned around to see the car pulling away with Serena sitting in the back, along with Tsukino in the front. "Serena!" he shouted.

No answer.

What had he been thinking? Kissing Serena Tsukino! She wasn't his. She wasn't anyone's. Everyone knew she belonged to her father.

But that couldn't stop Darien Shields.

* * *

**A/N: did you make it to the end? God bless you child! ^_^ REVIEW QUESTION! : are the characters believable? (Plus any other query you have!)**

**Thanks for reading and keeping up with the plot, yet again - if there is anything in this storyline that is causing you disturbance or making you uncomfortable; I'm sorry but that's just the mould of the story! It's always going to be dark and there's always going to be something bad going on, I want this story to almost reflect reality and in a way it does.**

**Anyway, I'll leave it to you! Don't forget to _ANSWER THE POLL_ and to _REVIEW_, thank you! (that last one really helps me ;))**

**(P.S, if you like rock music, buy Green Day's album ... it's just ... AMAZING!)**

**Love from, Niamh :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**SO I'm back! And with a vengence :) I'm sorry if people think this is too quick, but I had to get it out there cause my friend had checked it for me and I just thought, WHY NOT?! Well, you know me ...**

**WARNING. THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SCENES OF A VIOLENT AND SEXUAL NATURE, IF YOU ARE DISTURBED BY ANYTHING SUCH AS RAPE (even though it isn't ... in a way) THEN YOU SHOULD NOT READ. (Just remember, that it has to happen in order for the plot to work - I've made it so it doesn't go into detail for those weak-hearted ones :))**

**Disclaimor; I do not own Sailor Moon, nor do I own 'Catastrophe' by Forever The Sickest Kids ... although I wish I did :)**

**_"I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies."

* * *

_**

Chapter Four.

_Shields blinked in surprise. "You called me Darien," he observed._

"_You asked me to didn't you?" Serena stated._

_Taking advantage of his shocked state, Serena pulled away from Darien and ran to the car._

–

"I cannot believe you!" Tsukino roared, looking at the road with hard eyes; his hands gripping the steering wheel to the extent where he could have ripped it off.

In the back seat the fragile, slightly emotional Serena shivered in fear. Tsukino turned sharply, throwing Serena to the left of the car.

"You little slut!" he shouted. "How dare you do that! It's a good thing Diamond rung me! Who was that man?"

Serena gulped and shook her head, pushing herself up from the seat. "I'm sorr-"

"Sorry doesn't cut it Serena!" Tsukino shouted, pulling over.

He opened his door and got out, slamming it after himself while opening the back door. Grabbing Serena by the hair, Tsukino dragged his only daughter out of his car and towards his house. "You'll pay for this," he warned, hissing in her ear.

Serena refused to let a tear fall out of her eye and simply looked around blankly. The same old semi-detached brick house with giant black door. Tsukino stomped up the drive, his daughter stumbling along the gravel next to him.

"Let me go!" she shrieked, afraid that he would beat her senseless. Again.

Tsukino stopped and wrenched her closer to him. Serena breathed in, able to smell alcohol and cigarettes on his breath. He was snarling at her. Too close to her. Almost smothering her. His breath swarmed uncomfortably on her face, making her wince slightly.

"Don't you dare speak!" he yelled angrily.

Letting go of Serena's hair, Tsukino grabbed hold of her arm, gripping it so tightly she was afraid of bruising. He dragged her into the house, where he slammed the large door behind the petite Serena.

"You're a slut! You don't deserve a second chance!" he screeched in her face, pushing her along to the living room. He walked into it, dragging the struggling Serena along with him and slamming the door behind her again "How dare you do this to me! How dare you do this to Diamond!" Tsukino pointed across the heavily decorated black room, to where Diamond sat in a large, black leather armchair; patient but with anger in his veins.

His neat hair hung serenely around his head, dressed neck to toe in a seemingly expensive suit while his pale fingers connected at the tip, resting on his lap.

"Hello Serena," he said quietly.

A chill flew down the shocked Serena's back at his stone cold voice.

Tsukino pushed Serena closer to Diamond. "Well, aren't you going to introduce yourself to the nice gentleman?"

Serena gulped at the sight of the polished man, the tears about to escape. "Hello Mr Diamond, I'm-"

"No need to introduce yourself Serena," Diamond answered, a hand raised, "I know who you are. I'm afraid that a few people in this business do. And I'm afraid that Darien Shields knows you too,"

Tsukino raised an eyebrow. "Is that a problem Diamond?" he asked.

Resting his hand on his lap again, Diamond's gaze never left Serena as he spoke to Tsukino. "Me and Shields have never gotten along. Our business have always raced against the other, and it angers me to know that he could get his hands on precious Serena here,"

Tsukino smiled. "Well, there's no problem in organising a way to get Serena away from Shields. She's not been to him yet anyway,"

Serena blinked twice. At least her father didn't see that it was Darien outside the Casino.

Diamond raised an eyebrow to Serena. "That would be excellent," he muttered, glancing at Tsukino. "Thank you," he said in dismissal.

Tsukino smiled hia cold smile and almost slithered out of the room.

Serena looked at Diamond, frightened of what was to come. "You-you're not going to-"

Diamond cut her off, holding up his hand again. He pushed himself from the seat, walking towards the terrified figure in the middle of the room.

Serena trembled at what he was going to do. Beat her? Torture her? Rape her? Diamond set a hand on her breast, making Serena curl her hands into fists.

"Don't worry Serena," he mumbled, eyes fixed to her chest, "you're in good hands." He looked up at her and smirked, something that made her want to slap him.

Diamond grabbed her waist harshly, tugging her closer to his body . "Be a good girl and don't make too much noise," he muttered into her ear, grinning against her skin.

He pulled away from her ear, looking at her face in utter appreciation for only two seconds before slamming his cold lips to hers.

Serena stood, paralysed. She couldn't do anything.

Not even call for help.

Diamond groaned against her and pulled away from her, looking at her shocked face. Feeling the bulge in his pants, he grabbed her hand. He pulled her closer and pressed her hand to him.

Serena gulped at her new assumption.

Diamond removed his hand from hers, which quickly came back to her own body. He grabbed the hem of her own shirt and shifted it upwards.

Serena kept her arms tight against her body, unwilling to take the top off. Growling, Diamond grabbed her arms and wrenched them away from herself, grabbing the top and pulling it up so harshly that it ripped at the bottom.

He pushed her backwards, making her land on the floor and cry out with pain from the resounding thud of her back. Grunting, he leant over her, grabbing her bra-covered-breast harshly.

Serena cried out in pain again, making Diamond grin. He removed his hand and pulled down his trousers. Serena looked away, but soon found Diamond on top of her. "Come on sweetie," he muttered, seemingly in a trance.

Serena closed her eyes and wished that it would soon end.

–

Serena pushed the massive figure that was the sleeping Diamond off her. She stood up, wiping her cheeks from the salty tears and scrubbing at her lips to rid them of Diamond's rough kisses.

"It's nothing Serena," she muttered to herself, grabbing her top and pulling it on, along with the remnants of her skirt. "Just leave," she urged herself quietly, "go and find Darien or something," she muttered, pulling on her high heels.

Darien? Why would she go to him? She was nothing to him.

Shaking her head, Serena left the bleak room, head hung as she walked through the equally miserable front door.

She walked down the barely-lit drive, arms crossed over her body in a cautious manner, while her vision was fogging from the bitter tears.

The clacking of her high heels were the only sound as she made her way passed the several dark cars, passed the dying greenery and out through the looming gates. She bit her lip as she fought a million thoughts in her mind, trying to remember where she wanted to go.

If she could go anywhere.

Turning to the left, Serena walked along the slim road, the grey floor sullenly contrasted with the dark skies. Refusing to let herself cry, Serena shook her head as images of Diamond and what he did to her flooded back. Her arms instantly tightened at the thought of Diamond himself.

But then Darien jumped into her thoughts. Darien and his soft hold, and that amazing kiss and his gorgeous eyes-

_What? He's nothing to me,_ Serena thought imminently. Why was she thinking about him? It was ridiculous!

Serena looked up, only just noticing that she was then walking into a park. She travelled passed dewy grass and stopped at a stone fountain.

Grey marble made the fountain, a sculptured caricature cupid in the middle while water would usually spurt from his arrow tip.

Serena leant over the water surrounding the statue, unfolding her arms to trace the lines on cupid's face with her fingertips. The gritty texture of the stone felt slightly uncomfortable under her fingers, but she was used to being uncomfortable. The burning desire to cry hit her hard, and before she knew it, she was once again crying on her own. Her hand retracted from cupids face and she was folding her arms and walking down the poorly constructed path.

The hollow thought of loneliness burnt through her as she looked around. The tears tumbled from her eyes again, streaming down her cheeks. She opened her mouth as if to speak but found herself shutting it again and biting down on her lip. What was happening to her? It wasn't the first time that had happened! So why did it bother her now? Because she only wanted one person? Was she ready for that commitment? No! She couldn't defy her father! He was her father! She couldn't do that to him.

She had to stifle her feelings.

Serena passed an endless amount of benches, tripping and stumbling until she found the one that meant the most to her.

_In memory of Serenity Tsukino,_

_1969-1986_

Serena couldn't remember her mother. She didn't even have a picture of her. Apparently, her father had all the pictures of her burnt after her death, and he had despised Serena because of his love's death. But despite never meeting her mother, not even been held by her at birth; Serena had never thought she had minded. She thought she had all she needed in her father.

Thought.

The anxiety built up within her as she fell down onto the wooden bench, arms wrapping around her legs protectively and head resting on her knees; willing herself not to cry.

A sob racked her throat, making her lips tremble in fear. Why was she so upset? It wasn't the first time she had slept with someone against her will! She couldn't just start to have a fear of sex now! And she couldn't have been crying because of her mother; she had never even met her!

Her whole body was shaking, confusion and aggravation taking over her. The tears came all too quickly and made her quake in her very soul. But no one was going to wipe her tears and hug her; no one ever did.

Serena Tsukino was very alone.

–

The room was engulfed in darkness. A large window covered a tall wall, blinds blocking off the rising sunlight. An oak wardrobe stood firmly to the left of the window, casting shadows onto the white carpet and over the Victorian bed sat.

A man slept soundly in the bed, white sheets twisting like calligraphy over his taut body. His tanned skin was revealed down until his lower chest and a slim line of blue from his boxers, where the thin sheets just cut off. Legs twisted within the covers, strong hands with long, lean fingers were curled into fists on top of the pillow that his head lay so delicately on.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

With a groan, eyelids fluttered open, revealing midnight blue irises.

Darien Shields had awoken.

Swinging his long legs over his bed, Darien ran a hand through his hair and glanced at his clock. Sighing at the time; 7.06am, he rolled his eyes and pushed himself off the bed. He swayed and blinked repeatedly, rolling his shoulders.

His brain seemed to be pulsating within him, desperate to get out of his skull while his tongue and throat felt dry.

Another visit from a hangover.

A too loud, sharp banging started, making Darien wince, wondering if that was really going on in his head; he hadn't been that dru-he had kissed Serena Tsukino.

"Shit," he muttered, looking down.

A heavy, repeated bass line reverberated around the house, not helping his headache at all. Frowning, Darien stalked out of his neat room and slammed his door behind him, instantly regretting the action when his brain seemed to twitch in his head making him wince.

"Rini!" he yelled to the left side of him.

Thump thump thump!

Muffled words were hitting his ears, Rini was listening to music again. Growling this time, Darien walked down the lavish corridor.

Why, why at THIS time? Shouldn't she be getting ready for school? Darien wondered, grumbling under his breath.

He walked across the landing, passed the white, marble staircase and up another set of steps to the girls' room, passing pictures of ancestors and plush carpet.

"I know that I shouldn't let it get to me!" The boyish voice reached his ears, his headache worsening.

Darien raised an eyebrow from outside the girls door. It was covered in light green paint, the word 'Rini' swirled along the top in white, while posters of her favourite bands were plastered to it. The door seemed to be vibrating from the amount of noise inside.

"A dead end job and a lack of family, this town really gets to me!" This time a girls voice also reached his ears, intensifying his headache so much more.

Darien chuckled and knocked on the door, slightly aggravated when he didn't hear the music turn down or footsteps inside the room.

"Rini!" he yelled, knocking on the door again, this time louder, his headache powering him on.

Cursing under his breath, Darien twisted the knob on the door, pushing it open slightly. Just from the slight crack in the door, a waft of a flowery perfume and deodorant hit him. He opened it more to observe the room.

With white walls, covered in posters of about two million different bands, some of whom frankly scared Darien, white carpet adorned with one massive purple rug and a four poster bed with light blue sheets, you could tell that Darien had spoilt his daughter.

The shelf next to Rini's bed said it all. With two phones, one with the battery hanging out, a blue iPod with bright green headphones dangling from the shelf, a few thin exercise books from school and some of her favourite mangas; she was definitely messy. But dancing crazily in the middle of her room, dressed in her old clothes which she wore as pyjamas, the pink haired, fourteen year old pixie that Darien had cared for since a young age, well, she stood out more than anything.

He couldn't imagine who could have left the angel in an orphanage at the age of two, but thankfully, his Grandfather had taken her from there.

Unfortunately, his Grandfather was too old to look after a child, and Darien had taken on the bubbly younger girl as his daughter.

"Break out from the drama scene, stick around, it'll bury me!" she almost screeched into the bright blue hairbrush she held. "Get away, hurry up, come on! This is becoming a catastrophe!"

Her eyes were clamped tight and she sang, facing her wall length mirror while Darien stood in amazement at her.

"Rini?" he asked quietly, ignoring the fact that he had barged into her room.

Rini looked up in shock, dropping her hairbrush and facing her 'father'. Darien stood, stock still in the doorway, looking at his daughter with an eyebrow raised, and a small smirk on his lips.

"Don't you dare," Rini warned, lips tight.

Darien shook his head and turned away, raising a hand to stifle his laughter. But it was too late. Before he could stop himself, Darien was leaning against the door frame, laughter coming from deep in his throat.

Rini scowled and crossed the room to her large stereo player, which she clicked off. "If you're just going to laugh, you might as well get out," she said, annoyed.

Darien grinned and turned back to her. "You need to get ready for school."

Rini's face dropped. "It's not Monday."

"Yes it is," Darien said gravely. "And I'm afraid, that means school. So get in the shower sleepy head, and I'll give you a lift."

"Thanks so much," Rini drawled.

Walking over to her chest of drawers, the young girl grabbed clothes out from the bottom and top drawers. "Have fun last night?" she asked, not even sparing Darien a red-eyed glance.

Darien smiled and leant against the door frame. "You could say that,"

Rini sighed. "You didn't … with yet _another_ woman...?"

Darien shook his head, "of course not! What do you take me for?" he said, jokingly. "And anyway, I already knew her, and no, we didn't."

"And I'm the teenager of this house," Rini said, rolling her eyes and standing up to look at her carer.

Darien chuckled and shook his head. "We're going to Grandfather's tonight, so I'll pick you up from school. You should probably bring your homework because me and him are going to be planning out some things,"

"What things?" Rini asked, walking to her fallen brush and picking it up.

"Well, Grandfather's birthday is coming up, which reminds me, we need to get him something,"

Rini rolled her eyes. "What?"

"I don't know. I'll give you the money and you and Raye could pick something out, I'm terrible with gifts, you know that." Darien answered.

Grinning, Rini nodded and looked at Darien. "I'll be down in like, a quarter of an hour,"

Darien nodded and turned around. "See you then," he said, grinning. "Wake up you're a drama queen!" he sang, followed by a chuckle and a slap on the back from Rini's slipper.

–

She was glaring at him. He didn't notice that she was wearing her skirt a bit too short, or that her top was un-tucked and that the amount of make up on her face was worrying, no he only noticed that she was glaring at him.

Rini Shields was angry at her father.

"Oh, Rini!" Darien sighed, "come on!"

But Rini was walking purposely slow down the stairs, two feet on each step, just to annoy him.

"Do you want a lift to school or not?" Darien asked, raising an eyebrow.

In five seconds, Rini had jumped the large staircase, landing right in front of Darien. "Quick, or we'll be late, Dad! God, you're such an idiot!"

Darien chuckled and turned around, leading the way to the door. "Oh, Rini, pull down your skirt, get your jumper on-" he grabbed a box from a table he was passing "-and here's a make-up wipe." Turning around, he winked at her scowling face and added, "leave something to the boys' imagination, 'K?"

"Oh shut up," Rini answered, shifting down her skirt and pulling her jumper from her bag.

Darien rolled his eyes and turned around. "Bike or car?"

Rini's eyes widened and she started to walk out. "Bike!"

Smiling, Darien walked outside to get the bike from the garage.

–

The two were flying through the city, the motorbike dodging cars as if they were being attacked by an unknown enemy. They both wore black helmets, which Darien had insisted on, much to Rini's dismay. The roar of the engine ripping through the air was all they could hear. Rini clung onto her father, while Darien expertly drove them to his young daughter's school.

Within minutes they were there. Pulling up outside the large grey school, Darien pulled off his helmet, ignoring the girls who were stood at the silver gates gazing at him and turned to his daughter, who was in the process of taking hers off too.

"Right, come on then," he said, smiling. "Get in there and learn,"

Rini's pulled off the helmet and smiled. "Thanks," she said, hopping off the bike and passing him back the helmet.

"Wait, you better keep that," Darien said. "We're going straight from school to Grandfather's,"

Rini nodded and kissed him on the cheek briefly. "Bye dad, and you stink of alcohol,"

Darien grinned. "Have a good day at school,"

Rini grimaced and turned around, packing the helmet in her bag. She walked through the gates, ignoring the glances she was getting from the girls stood there. Hearing the bike zoom off, Rini braced herself.

"Who is that?"

"Your brother?"

"Your boyfriend?"

"Why would she go out with her brother?"

"He is soooo hot!"

Rini sighed and tried brushed them off, but they persisted to follow her. She stomped across the yard, trying to find her nearest exit. Her eyes flitted around, eager to escape from the girls who were suddenly interested in her.

Yes, the history door! She thought happily, a glint of hope in her eyes that she may keep her sanity.

"So, Rini! Who is that man?" the tall one asked.

Rini stopped walking and breathed in. Turning around she faced the group of desperate girls. They all wore their hair down and straight, which annoyed Rini in the slightest. She could never get her hair that straight, all she could manage were two pigtails that arched up into a cone.

So much for sanity.

"He's my father," she muttered.

A collective gasp swam throughout the girls.

"So, wait … he only looks about-"

"Rini!" someone shouted.

Looking around, Rini smiled when she saw her best friend, Hotaru calling her from the history door that she was about to run to.

"Come on, we're late!" the black haired girl yelled, beckoning her friend over.

Rini grinned and jogged over to her friend, leaving the other girls behind. She jogged up the stairs, joining Hotaru who rolled her eyes but smiled.

"I don't fancy getting told off today," Hotaru said offhandedly, starting to jog.

* * *

**Hm?! Do you like, hate, adore, wish it would rot in hell?!**

**I really need some new songs, can you suggest your favourite song and I'll check it out? :)**

**PLEASE REVIEW + VOTE IN THE POLL ON MY PROFILE, I'm writing all those three stories along side Debts, but I really need to know which one to upload when I've finished Debts :D**

**Love from, Niamh Chan :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**OK. So I'm kind of addicted to uploading lately? Have you noticed? Three chapters in two days?! Can you tell they haven't been beta'd?**

**Please tell me what you think and vote in the poll, because at the moment I have two winners! I really need to get only one story! Please help! :)**

**_"If you don't want me to leave, then don't push me away."_**

-

Chapter Five

Serena Tsukino bit her lip in frustration. She just … didn't know what to do. Sitting on the park bench, she looked up into the sky, it was nearly midday. She should have just gone home.

"Young lady?" someone with a gruff voice asked.

Serena looked up from her desperate state, her eyes falling onto a wiry old man. His chin jutted out slightly, dark blue eyes twinkling with a small grin on his lips. His skin was crinkled and a small stubble lined his jaw, tufts of grey beard sticking out everywhere. On top of his head sat a small flat cap and he was holding a small pipe in his hand.

"Is anyone sitting there?" he asked, voice gruff.

Serena shook her head and watched as the man sat down next to her.

"So, what's a young'un like you doing here?" he asked, meeting her gaze.

Those eyes! Serena thought, she had definitely seen that shade of blue before.

"Um, I just ..." she trailed off, unable to tell him.

"You're the Shark's daughter, aren't you?" the man asked.

Serena blinked, not many people knew who she was from just looking at her. "Excuse me Sir, but would you mind telling me how you came to that conclusion?"

The man laughed heartily. "You're polite, I like that. Don't worry, you're not known by everyone. I just happen to know everyone,"

Serena frowned. "You're an extremely peculiar man,"

The man grinned wolfishly. "Tell me something I don't know,"

Serena found herself smiling.

"Now, tell me why you're sat here, Serena," he continued.

Serena frowned, he knew her status and her name? "Um, well, I was just a bit upset, so I came here,"

The man nodded. Pulling out a match, he lit his pipe and took a toke of it. "Never smoke Serena, it's a terrible habit, trust me,"

Serena chuckled slightly at the irony. "You haven't told me your name,"

"Neither did you," the man answered. "I just knew,"

Chuckling again, Serena felt she was beginning to warm up to this man. "Well, how come you are here?"

The man laughed, "smart," he observed. "Well, I'm meeting my Grandson and my Great-Granddaughter later on, so I'm trying to waste some time. If only my Grandson isn't hung over from last night, he went on … what do you young'un's call it? A drunken spree? And to think he turned up at my Casino!"

Serena frowned, casino?

"I don't know what has got into him lately, but he seems to be totally gone for a woman. When he called me last night he wouldn't shut up about a woman he met last night," the man said.

Serena frowned again, he couldn't have been talking about Dari-Shields could he?

"Yes, apparently he wasn't with her for long," the man tapped his chin. "But I think some thing's odd with this girl,"

Wasn't with her long? Sounds like that girl, what was her name? Serena wondered, looking down in concentration. Anne?

"Anyway, he'll tell me later on anyway, hopefully," the man said with a crooked smile.

Serena smiled. "I hope he does," she said softly, looking up at the man again.

"Well, he'll try and get out of it, that's for sure," the man pondered, biting the inside of his cheek. "He's actually coming over to talk about the plans for my birthday party."

Serena's smile warmed, "if you don't mind me asking, how old will you be?"

The man chuckled. "Not at all. I'll be sixty eight years … young,"

Serena grinned. "Of course,"

Smoking the pipe again, the old man raised his eyebrows. "I'd like you to be there,"

Serena smiled wryly. "Oh, I'm not so sure, I mean, my father-"

The man frowned. "Oh yes, the Shark." Looking up at Serena, the man's frown slowly turned to a soft smile, peculiar against his wrinkled face and thin lips. "You know, I wish my Grandson would pay attention to girls like you,"

Serena smiled again. "I don't really date Sir,"

"Really?" the man asked, an eyebrow risen.

Serena nodded and looked away, staring at a evergreen tree. "Yes, it interferes with my work."

The man sighed. "Of course,"

Serena looked back to the man, alarmed at him.

"How do I know what you do for a living?" he offered.

Serena's eyes widened.

"Of course I know Serena, remember, I know quite a lot?" he tapped his nose and smiled.

"And yet … you still talk to me?" Serena mumbled. "But I'm … I'm … damaged goods,"

The man barked out a laugh. "Serena, you're a good girl. I know what you do, but I won't hold it against you, I've met worse people. Like your father for instance,"

Serena frowned. "My father's not a bad man,"

The man raised an eyebrow. "Your father is not acting like a father."

Serena bit her lip and looked away. He was right. Of course he was right! Ken Tsukino had always been an idiot. He wasn't a proper father. What sort of father practically pushed his daughter into bed with other men? What sort of father was OK with that?

"Serena?" the man asked. "Serena?"

Serena blinked twice, unaware of the tears falling heavily down her cheeks. "I'm … um, I'm sorry, I have to go now," she said blandly, standing up and smoothing out her skirt and top.

"OK, well it was nice meeting you Serena," the man said, smiling warmly. "I hope we meet again."

"Hopefully," Serena said back, smiling this time.

The man watched as the girl retreated, thinking that she was probably unaware of her slight limp but was still walking tall. He smiled to himself sadly. He took another smoke of his pipe and exhaled the smoke out, shaking his head slightly.

"What have you done to her Darien?"

-

Darien Shields had never been the sort of man to let his guard down. But after the incident with Serena, he couldn't help but wonder what was happening. So he was consulting two of his best friends, Malachite and Andrew.

They were in Darien's state-of-the-art kitchen, with black counter-tops, two black sinks back to back against each other, in-built fridge-freezer and wooden cupboards lining the walls.

With the man himself sat on top of the counter next to the sink, Malachite was leaning against a wall, arms crossed over his chest while Andrew sat at the table, a beer bottle in one hand.

"I don't know what's up," Darien complained.

Andrew frowned, taking a swig of his beer. "Me neither dude, she was a bit off with me."

Malachite looked thoughtfully at the floor. "She was a bit weird when she was leaving to me and Mina too, actually."

Darien relaxed his face. "You know what's weird? We're all talking about her as if we've all been friends with her for ages."

Malachite grinned. "Yeah, it's weird, isn't it?"

"Weird for us," Andrew commented, pointing at himself and Malachite. "We're not the ones sticking our tongues down her throat at the first chance we get."

Darien scowled. "It wasn't the 'first chance'."

Malachite barked out in laughter. "Oh, you actually managed to not molest her every chance you got?"

"Oh shut up," Darien muttered.

Andrew shook his head. "I don't think it's her you should be worried about. It's you that you should be worried about."

Malachite nodded in agreement. "You're right."

"What?" Darien asked, looking between his two friends. "What is he right about?"

Rolling his eyes, Malachite brushed his hair from his face. "Is it not obvious?" he asked.

"No," Darien confirmed, eyes hard.

Andrew chuckled slightly. "You should be worried about the fact that you're worried about a girl."

Darien frowned. His friends were right. It had never happened before. So why now?

Andrew got up and walked over to the large fridge, opening it and taking out another beer.

"Drew, do you have to drink?" Darien asked exasperatedly. "It's still day time."

Andrew shrugged, walking back to his seat. "I'm not getting drunk."

Malachite rolled his eyes. "You're working tonight, aren't you?" he asked, looking at Andrew.

Andrew nodded again, a grim expression on his face. "I can't be bothered."

"Is Beryl working again?" Darien asked, a look of sympathy on his face.

"Yes." Andrew said shortly. "All she does is talk about you!"

"Sorry about that," Darien muttered sheepishly.

"I mean, you must be bloody amazing in bed," Andrew mused, "because she's hard to get into bed, she must have high expectations, and she just adores you!"

Darien shook his head. "She's not hard to get into bed at all," he said, ignoring the urge to blush from embarrassment.

"God Darien. No need to brag," Malachite teased. "I mean, she's _such_ a catch!"

Andrew burst out laughing while Darien grinned wolfishly.

"Yes, she's gorgeous," Darien muttered sarcastically.

"Come on, she's like beauty in it's most plastic-ated form," Andrew taunted. "Have you seen the amount of silicon she has in that chest?"

"Seen?" Darien asked. "I've felt it. It's disgusting," he added, shuddering slightly.

"Ugh, that must have been a turn off," Malachite sympathised.

"Of course it was," Darien said shortly, a grimace gleaming through. But then he raised an eyebrow. "That's why I had to fake it."

Malachite and Andrew's jaws both dropped. Silence filled the room, Darien's two guests looked at each other sheepishly.

And then burst out laughing.

"And-_gasp_-she-was-bragging to all the girls- about-about-how much you enjoyed it-and-_gasp_-you were-_wheeze_-faking!" Andrew yelled, laughter ripping through his throat.

"That's classic!" Malachite gasped.

Darien pressed his head into his hand, trying to stop the laughter from escaping.

Andrew smiled off his laughter and took another drink from his can. "What about you and Mina, Mal?"

Malachite frowned. "What do you mean?"

Darien raised an eyebrow. "What's going on there? We know that you've been crazy about her since high school, that was eight years ago,"

Malachite rolled his eyes. "I haven't liked her for that long."

"No," Darien agreed. "You've loved her."

"Cliché," Andrew muttered, grinning.

"Like you can talk," Darien protested. "What about you and Rita, the 'match-made-in-heaven'?"

Andrew opened his mouth to talk when he was cut off by Malachite.

"Hey, shouldn't you go and get Rini about now? It's about quarter past three," Malachite said, looking at Darien.

Darien's mouth fell open, coming out of his laughing fit. "Really?" He stopped what he was doing and looked down at his watch. "Dammit,"

Andrew smiled. "Go and get her, we'll see you tonight,"

Darien began to walk out of the room. "Oh, me and Rini are going to my Grandfather's tonight," he explained. "So I won't see you tonight."

"That's fine," Malachite answered, smiling softly. "About the party?"

Darien nodded. "I want it to be at the Casino, but Grandfather was thinking of another place, I don't know where yet though,"

Andrew bit the inside of his cheek, standing up. "The Casino would be nice, but why stop business for one night?"

"Exactly," Darien said, smiling and leaving the room.

-

Tapping her foot against the school walls, Rini sighed. It was three-thirty and already her father was late. Something that was extremely unusual of him.

Ruffling her fringe, the teenager opened her school bag to pull out her iPod. Flicking the lock switch from orange to blue, she stroked her thumb over the pad to switch on some music.

The music blared in her headphones, while the pink-haired girl closed her eyes and leant her head back onto the wall, seemingly relaxed.

"Excuse me?"

Looking up, Rini's tinged red eyes fell onto a seemingly tall boy, with stunning white hair and slightly golden eyes. He was stood in front of her with a small smile gracing his lips, a ruffled look about him while his uniform hid his body.

"Are you OK?" he asked, a look of concern on his face.

"I-um, yeah," Rini said quietly, pulling out her headphones.

The boy smiled kindly. "How come you're still here?"

"My dad hasn't come yet," she explained.

"Oh," the boy said quietly. "So, mind if I keep you company-?"

"Oh, sorry, I'm Rini Shields," Rini answered quickly. "You?"

The boy's smiled widely. "I'm Helios Elysion," he said smoothly, leaning against the wall.

Rini smiled at Helios sweetly. "I don't think I've seen you in school before you know,"

"Oh yeah, I got moved from my last school to here," he explained. "To be honest, no one really talks to the new kid,"

Rini frowned. "Really?" she asked. "How come you moved?"

Helios looked down, but Rini could still see a grin. "I got expelled,"

Rini raised an eyebrow. "How come?"

"Got into too many fights," Helios answered, looking up at her.

Rini was shocked at that. He didn't seem the type to fight, especially since he didn't seem to have much muscle. Helios seemed to know what she was thinking, as he looked away from her to the road.

"I'm a bit of an idiot for letting the worst get of me," he admitted.

Rini sighed. "Yes," she said with a small smile on her lips.

Helios jolted slightly at this. This girl wasn't like any others he had met; she was honest.

"Isn't that a little brutal?" he asked, turning his head to look at her.

Rini shrugged. "Would you rather me smile and say that it's fine that you've been violent?"

Helios chuckled. "Cute," he muttered.

"What?" Rini asked, not hearing the last line.

"Doesn't matter," Helios said quickly, looking away from her. "Anyway, what year are you in?"

"Ten," Rini said quietly. "You?"

"Eleven," Helios said, equally as quiet.

Silence fell between them, each of them thinking about the other.

"You've got an extremely weird hair colour," Helios commented, turning to face Rini again.

"I could say the same for you," Rini answered, smiling.

"Touché," Helios muttered, smiling.

"How come you're here so late anyway?" Rini asked.

"Oh, my uncle is meant to be picking me up," he answered, barely able to smile.

"Oh," Rini said quietly.

"Anyway," Helios said, trying to push the conversation forward. "What subjects did you take?"

Rini smiled. "Art, geography-"

Rini cut herself on when she saw a sleek, black sports car pull up in front of them.

"This your ride?" Helios asked, in awe of the car.

"Yep, that's my dad," Rini answered.

Suddenly, the door opened and out stepped Darien Shields.

"Class," Helios said appreciatively.

Helios smiled at the older man, who smiled kindly back, even though he was wondering who the hell was talking to his daughter.

Sensing the slight tension, Rini smiled. "Dad, this is Helios," she introduced.

"Hello Mr Shields," Helios said, a friendly smile on his face.

Darien worked up a smile, one that didn't quite reach his eyes and gave Helios one curt nod. "Nice to meet you Helios,"

Rini smiled and turned to Helios. "I'll see you tomorrow then," she said.

Helios nodded. "Yep,"

Turning back to her father, Rini's smiled again and walked around the car, getting in the other side. She watched carefully as her father smiled again and got in, shutting the door quite loudly after himself.

"Just drive dad," Rini said, looking out of the window.

Darien smirked and drove off, glancing at the mirror until Helios was out of view.

"Anyway," Rini said, turning to her father. "How come you were so late?"

Darien shrugged, smirk falling from his lips. "Was talking to Mal and Andrew. Come to think of it, they might still be in the house,"

An image of his friends wandering around the house came into mind, emptying his fridge and looking in all his closets. Scowling slightly, Darien revved the engine slightly.

Rini rolled her eyes and turned to look out of the window.

"He seemed nice," Darien commented.

"Who?" Rini asked, feigning ignorance.

"You know who," Darien said, smirking slightly.

"Oh, Helios?" Rini asked, biting her lip. "He's OK,"

Darien raised an eyebrow and smiled to himself.

-

Serena Tsukino stood in front of her father, a blank expression on her face. The room that they were in was grand, covered with the finest décor with bookcase lined walls and golden framed photos. Ken Tsukino sat in a large, black leather armchair, fingers drumming on the arm rest while his other hand held a glass of whiskey. A smirk held his lips in place, while his humorous eyes looked at Serena.

"Serena," he said quietly.

Serena looked him in the eye. "Yes father?"

"I trust you learnt your lesson last night?" Tsukino asked.

"Of course, I'm sorry that I acted the way I did," Serena said dryly.

Tsukino raised an eyebrow, as though not believing his daughter. "Hm," he muttered. "It will never happen again I trust?"

"Of course it won't," Serena said quietly, her eyes looking into his coldly.

"Good," Tsukino said sternly, nodding. "Because from now on, Diamond is your only client."

Serena froze. Diamond? Him? Why?

"Diamond was talking to me last night," Tsukino said, sighing. "He wants you to see him. Only him,"

Serena could only open her mouth and close it again. What could she say? That she didn't want to serve her father after he'd given her so much? No, she was faithful.

"What about your other clients?" Serena asked on a whim; it was the only thing she could think of.

"They'll manage," Tsukino said sharply. "Anyway, Diamond could give us profits that would cover all of our losses for the rest."

Serena bit her lip. She had no other point.

"And of course, Shields didn't even need convincing," Tsukino said quietly, still looking at his daughter.

Serena nodded. "So he would stay on,"

"But the rest will too," Tsukino said, smirking. "Of course, with you as bait and Nephrite as my right hand man."

Serena nodded and looked down. "Of course."

Biting her lip, Serena looked up at her father, warm tears bubbling at her ducts. He reminded her of the statue of Cupid from the park. When she had reached out to trace his face, he remained stone cold; just like when she reached out to her father, he remained indifferent.

-

**A/N: Like it? You like the new man? Hm, can you guess who he is?**

**I love writing this story at the moment, but unfortunately, I have three major exams coming up, so I won't be writing much (I've only just started chapter six this very minute ... ahha sorry!) and I really really don't have the time in between staying up late because of revising and getting up far too early for paperround, along with all the other stuff I'm doing like ... socialising! Guys, I got a life!**

**Hm, I got some good songs last time :) But I really like 'Sugar Rush' - Cash Cash. You should all download it and then thank me later :D**

**Anyway, REVIEW + VOTE IN POLL!**

**Love from Niamh Chan :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey there, friends :)**

**I am SO sorry at how long this took. I've been writing bits and bits of it every so often, and didn't get it complete until … well now really. Obviously, the Summer holidays are here – so I SHOULD be expected to be able to write loads. Not the case at all. Yes, I am going on holiday to Mallorca with a friend and her parents – which shall be fun Unfortunately, since I'm not taking the laptop, I can't write, but I'll try and write long hand. Also, I have loads of P.E coursework to start and finish before I go to school -_- and far too much art work to do. I should have all my photography done after this holiday, but I have six pages to do in an art book – basically, too much! I shall try my utmost to get loads of writing done though!**

**My second thought is about people to thank SO much for this chapter; Jonny and Kirstyn! They have both helped me so much and I regret to inform you that if they hadn't have helped me, this chapter would have been in tatters!**

**Now, the length of this chapter – I'M SO PROUD! It's about five pages longer than normal, so if you don't have a lot of time to read now – then I suggest that you just favourite the page and then read it later ^_^!**

**Let's get on with the show!**

"_**don't be afraid, you were made to go out and get hurt,"**_

Chapter Six

Her feet fell softly onto the ground, letting them take her weight before running around the car, her bag and skirt twirling with her actions.

Sighing, Darien leaned over her seat to shut his daughter's door, also getting out and locking his car in what seemed to be one fluid motion. His exasperated feeling diminished as soon as he saw Rini in a bear hug with his grandfather.

"How have you been Darien?" John asked, looking over at his grandson. "Guess who I met today?"

He was wearing his infamous flat cap, and a pipe dangling from his hand.

Rini pulled away. "Was it that girl?" she asked, looking up at her great-grandfather.

John grinned. "As a matter of fact, it was Serena,"

"Serena?" Rini asked, turning to Darien. "That's her name?"

Darien nodded, an eyebrow raised.

"Nice," Rini commented, turning back around to the house and side-stepping John to let herself in.

"Don't worry, she'll come round," John said quietly. "It's been a while since I've seen you,"

"It's been four days Granda," Darien corrected, looking at his grandfather.

"Yes, but I get lonely up here," John said, smiling slightly.

"I have offered for you to move in with me and Rini," Darien reminded him, walking forwards to his grandfather.

"What, and leave my house?" John asked, his smile wide. "No, I expect that you don't need me around,"

Darien shook his head and laughed slightly; his grandfather had always been stubborn. John smiled and gestured for Darien to go inside, while he followed him.

The house was old fashioned, much like John. The carpets were brown with detailed fifties designs and oak furniture. The house smelt pungently of soot and smoke, it was dim lighted with a heavy atmosphere. A dial phone sat upon an antique table, looking like it was about to collapse from the weight. An arm chair sat beside the phone, roughed up and frayed as if it was ancient.

"So, Rini knows about Serena," John stated lightly, walking nonchalantly behind his grandson.

"Yeah, how do you know her name?" Darien asked, walking through a door into the petite kitchen.

The kitchen was brighter than the other room, with a large window overlooking it and wooden seats with orange cushions tied to the back of them. The floor was tiled with light red slabs, on top of which sat a dining table and the counters, in between which was a small gap.

"Where's Rini?" John asked, also in the kitchen and glancing around.

"She's in the garden," Darien said, waving a hand dismissively to the window overlooking the garden.

John looked over to the window, seeing Rini happily sat next to the pond, he sighed.

"So, how do you know Serena's name?" Darien asked, a quirk to his eyebrow.

"I saw her today you know," John said quietly, taking a seat at the table, resting his old hands serenely in front of him, watching his grandson with interest.

Darien frowned. "Where, was she with her father?" he asked, sitting down quickly.

"No," John answered.

"Good," Darien said in relief."I'm worried that he's-"

"I don't think it's her father we have to worry about," John said quietly. "It's his new client,"

"New client?" Darien asked. "I thought I was his new client,"

"Tsukino acquired another new client last night," John stated,"one who required the … services of your beloved Serena-"

"What?" Darien muttered, looking down at the table in thought.

"-also known as the shark's whore," John finished, as though he hadn't been interrupted.

"The shark's whore?" Darien asked, looking up at his grandfather.

"An apparently fitting name for her, uh, occupation," John confirmed.

Darien raised an eyebrow. "What do you... oh," he said, suddenly solemn.

"Unfortunately," John said quietly, his voice gruff.

A silence settled between them. It was uncomfortable, yet peaceful from the trickle of soft water from the pond and Rini's occasional giggle.

Darien distracted himself with Rini. The girl he had raised as his daughter, reminding him that the orphanage wanted to see her soon to check up on her as they did every year. It had been amazing to raise Rini. He knew the responsibilities of being a father, and enjoyed them.

How could anyone sell their own daughter? he thought angrily. He could never do that to Rini!

His anger at Tsukino built and built until his fists were curling and his teeth were grinding.

"It's not Serena's fault," he said sternly, shaking slightly. "It's Tsukino's fault, not hers at all!"

"Darien, I know," John said, cutting off his grandson. "What she does doesn't make her a bad person."

Darien smiled, nodding. "I know," he said, glancing at his grandfather's decorative fridge magnet.

_Hate the sin, not the sinner._

John followed his gaze and chuckled. "A seemingly fitting phrase," he commented.

Pushing at the table, John pulled out from underneath it and stood up on his wiry legs, rolling back his shoulders. "I'll get the tea on,"

Darien sighed, leaning back in his chair. "What is it?"

"Not sure yet," John said nonchalantly, shrugging. "What do you want?"

"Anything," Darien said, blinking slowly.

John sighed and walked over to his freezer.

Darien closed his eyes, trying to keep calm as he thought of Serena. He couldn't imagine the girl he met last night to do anything that was not of an innocent nature.

"We're having chicken," John announced from his position at the freezer, smiling.

He pulled out the food from the freezer, along with a bag of peas and set them down onto the counter. "This party then, what have you got?"

Darien brought a hand down his face, rubbing his temple with his thumb and middle finger of the same hand before talking, "well, I thought that we could either hold it at the Casino, or another venue," he said quietly. "Our best option being a different venue, so we don't lose profit,"

John nodded. "Of course, good,"

"The guest list is up to you," Darien continued, counting tasks off his fingers. "The invitations have already been designed, the maker is just waiting for names,"

"Of course, what was her name?" John asked. "Rebecca Lanai, was it?"

"No, it's Miss Lonni Lanai, Rebecca Lanai, is her mother, is Rini's art teacher I think," Darien corrected.

"Right, what else then?" John asked, pouring vegetables into a heated pan.

"Food and drink, all catered for and waiters have been hired to serve it too," Darien noted, "We need a dress code for the waiters though, which also means we need a theme."

John sighed. "Ah, a theme," he said, turning around. "I've been thinking of that. I thought it would be good to match music and theme, but I don't have a theme."

"I need one by tomorrow. Invitations go out the day after; Sunday," Darien explained. "Two weeks is enough for all of them to be returned, isn't it?"

"I think that's far too long, we'll get replies within a week," John stated, turning back around to the oven.

"We definitely need a theme though," Darien mused.

"Ask Rini," John suggested, "she's young, she knows what's in."

"Rini?" Darien asked, looking up.

"Yes, Rini," John nodded, still cooking.

"Why don't you go ask her now then?" Darien asked. "I'll look over the food, it won't be too long will it?"

John smiled and turned around. "Give it half an hour," he advised, walking over to his back door.

The garden was overflowing with freshly cut greenery, flowers poured out from their beds, and a pond sat in the middle, in which tropical fish swam in. The old man smiled as he saw Rini. Her shoes and socks were discarded next to her hand while she dipped her feet into the pond, watching the fish swim by casually.

"Rini," John said, as gentle as possible in his gruff voice.

Rini jumped in surprise, making all the fish swim away quickly. She turned around to face John. "Hey Granda," she said, smiling.

"How are you?" John asked, walking over to Rini and sitting down.

"I'm fine," she replied. "You?"

"I have a problem," John stated. "That, my birthday is in two weeks, and I don't have a theme,"

Rini frowned. "Why don't you do black and white again?" Rini asked, shrugging.

"Boring," John said dismissively, waving a hand to show his emotion. "I want you to pick something that is … fresh,"

Rini looked back down into the water. "I don't know," she muttered.

"What's in fashion at the moment?" John asked.

"Retro 80's and boyfriend clothes," Rini answered. "But that's really informal."

"What else?" John asked.

"Oriental?" Rini offered.

"Too much," John said, scrunching his nose in what seemed to be distaste.

"Masquerade!" Rini exclaimed, clapping her hands together making the fish that had dared to swim closer again recoil away from her.

John narrowed his eyes, seemingly in thought. "I think that's a wonderful idea," he mused, "very Shakespeare."

A comfortable silence fell between the two. Rini softly drifted her feet through the water, scrunching and stretching her toes, every so often flashing pink chipped nail polish. John sat next to her, his knees bent in a way that seemed far too flexible for an old man, watching her carefully.

"So, what do you think?" he asked, eyes soft.

"About what?" Rini asked, looking up at John.

"Your father and Serena," John answered.

"What about them?" Rini asked. "He met her last night, it's not as if it's serious." She shrugged and looked back down into the water. "It'll be over soon."

John laughed lightly. "It normally is, isn't it?"

Rini nodded gravely. "Unfortunately."

"What do you mean?" John asked, "don't you think she's different?"

Rini shrugged again, looking up. "Never met her, probably won't, don't really care,"

"You can tell from him," John said softly.

Rini frowned. Twisting her body, she looked into the window to see her father humming and messing with something on top of the oven.

"Granda," Rini said gravely. "You do realise that you left my father to cook."

John's eyes widened.

Neither of them could get inside quick enough.

-

The dust was collecting underneath his fingernails. The trembles emanating from his pale fingers drummed across the polished wooden table, travelling through his scotch glass and making the liquid shiver within its container.

Ring, ring!

Tsukino smirked as he picked up the phone.

"Tsukino," he said quietly, as if he was being listened to.

"Hello Tsukino," Diamond's voice said through the receiver. "I want Serena tonight and tomorrow day."

"She's out at the moment," Tsukino replied, "I can get Nephrite to pick her up for you."

"That will be fine," Diamond's voice said. "I expect that he will pick her up tomorrow too?"

"Of course, expect her there in an hour," Tsukino accepted.

"Good."

Beep.

Diamond had hung up. Tsukino smiled and hung up also, ready to ring Nephrite.

-

Serena was laughing. Dressed only in her pink pyjama shorts and loose white crop top, which was odd for six o'clock at night. She fell back onto the red couch behind her, watching as a girl came out of what appeared to be a bedroom, seemingly shocked at how Lita was failing miserably on a video game; which fuelled Serena's laughter.

The living area was also half kitchen, the only thing separating the two being different flooring. Two red couches were squashed together at the corner, a TV opposite where they joined, Lita sitting in the space that separated the TV and the couches. The flat was extremely small, with one bedroom that had been converted into two, along with a bathroom that seemed to only hold the necessities.

"Lita, have you finally made it to the boss?" the girl asked.

Her cropped hair appeared to be blue in the light from the window, eyes an abnormally bright blue colour also. She was short, only wearing blue pyjamas but clinging to a large book in front of her which seemed to dwarf her.

"Yes, and I'm getting beat!" Lita said angrily.

"Hey Ames!" Serena said happily, jumping up from the couch and running over to her friend that she hadn't seen for two weeks.

"Serena," Amy said softly, pulling her dainty friend into a hug.

"How have you been?" Serena asked in the hug.

Amy smiled. "Oh you know, fine."

Serena pulled away. "Has everything cleared up with your mother yet?"

Amy shook her head, laughing bitterly. "I don't think it ever will."

Serena bit her lip. "Well, what about this boy I'm hearing about?" she asked, with a grin on her face.

"I could say the same for you!" Amy replied, grinning wider.

Serena rolled her eyes and turned around, back over to Lita's game.

"Shit!" Lita cursed, slamming the controller against her knee before resuming play. "This damn demon won't get out of my way!"

"Demon?" Amy asked. "I thought it was Shadows in Persona?"

"She got a new game," Serena answered.

"Oh," Amy said quietly, walking over to the couch where she sat down. "Are you staying over tonight Serena?"

Ring ring!

Serena nodded at Amy before pulling out her phone from her shorts pocket and flipping it open.

"Hello?" she asked in her usual bubbly voice. "Oh, hi father."

Lita paused her game, turning around to Serena who was looking away. Amy glanced at Lita, wondering why she had stopped her game.

"Diamond requested you," Tsukino's voice said roughly.

"I'm not on tonight," Serena said quietly.

Tsukino ignored her. "Nephrite should be outside your friends house now, he has something for you to wear in the car."

"Father, I saw him last night," Serena almost complained quietly.

Lita glanced at Amy, an eyebrow raised.

Tsukino ignored his daughter again. "You'll be staying there overnight."

Beep.

Tsukino had hung up. Serena sighed and shut her phone, slipping her phone into her pocket.

"What was that Serena?" Lita asked.

Serena shook her head. "Doesn't look like I'll be staying," she said shakily. "I've gotta go, colleague called in sick and I have to fill in."

Amy was frozen, what was going on? Lita frowned.

"Serena, what the hell do you do?" she asked.

"Nothing, I'm going to see my father," Serena lied smoothly, walking over to the couch and picking up her jacket. "I better go,"

She jogged over to the door, where her bag and shoes lay. Slipping into them and grabbing her bag, she opened Lita and Amy's door and left quickly.

"What was that?" Amy asked.

"I'm not sure," Lita muttered, biting her lip.

"Well, whatever it is, it isn't our-Lita where are you going?" Amy asked, watching Lita scramble up from the floor and run out of the apartment following Serena.

It proved easy for Lita to catch up to Serena, her legs being a lot longer than the smaller girl.

"Serena," she said loudly across the hallway at the front of the building. "What's going on?"

"Nothing Leets," Serena lied again, not looking back at her friend and leaving the building quickly.

Lita sighed, annoyed, "dammit," she muttered under her breath, and followed the blonde out of the building.

Serena had bumped into someone. Someone who was tall, with brown hair that floated to his shoulders and muscles that covered all of his body.

"Hello Nephrite, are we going then?" Serena asked, looking up at the tall man.

The man, apparently named Nephrite was looking at Lita with the most peculiar emotion covering his brown eyes.

That emotion was reflected in Lita's eyes.

"Nephrite, if we don't get there quickly, father will kill us both," Serena reminded him.

"Oh, of course," Nephrite said, dragging his eyes away from Lita and turning his back on her. "I'm sorry for that, Miss Tsukino."

"It's fine," Serena said, shaking her head. "She's in a long term relationship Nephrite, I don't think you've got much luck,"

"I wouldn't be so sure, Miss Tsukino," Nephrite said quietly, escorting Serena to the car.

-

Helios Elysion sighed. He was sat on the black leather couch in the living room of his house. His head was resting within his hands, his thoughts aggravating him. How was he supposed to tell his uncle, the man who raised him, that he liked someone that he really shouldn't do.

How could he?

The white marble flooring was cold under his bare feet, making him scrunch his toes, while his adolescent mind was thinking about the pink-haired, red-eyed girl he had met that day.

The vivacious Rini Shields.

The only problem was, her family name.

The freezing fire across from him was irritating him. There was no need for it. It didn't perform what you would expect from a fire, so why on Earth had his uncle bought it?

It just illuminated the fact that even when his uncle was trying to be warm, as strange as that was; he came across cold.

"Helios," his uncle greeted, walking in. "Why did you want to talk to me?"

Helios looked up, his golden eyes meeting with those cold, grey eyes, of Diamond.

"I have a … uh, friend coming over soon, so it better be quick," Diamond instructed his nephew, "and also, when they do come in, send them straight to my room. We'll be talking business so don't come in."

"Um, OK." Helios accepted, nodding to show his agreement.

"Right, so what is it?" Diamond asked.

Helios breathed in deeply, letting the air out as he stood up. "The thing is, I … um,"

"Spit it out boy," Diamond scowled.

"I like this girl," Helios almost shouted. "And, I just … it's just that she's Rini Shields."

"Rini Shields?" Diamond asked, eyes narrowed. "She's still only a child."

"She's fourteen!" Helios defended.

"Fourteen," Diamond repeated. "No, Helios. Not a Shields."

Helios bowed his head. "OK."

Diamond nodded. "Is that all?" he asked.

"No, well. There's this party tomorrow night, and I wanted to go," Helios lied. "It's just a boy in my classes,"

"That's fine, stay out as late as you want," Diamond shrugged.

Helios smiled his thanks and sat back down again, watching as Diamond walked out of the living room.

-

Lita ran down the apartment block, Amy a few metres behind her.

"Lita, you have to tell me what we're doing here!" Amy shouted.

Lita just ran, ignoring everything Amy was saying.

She couldn't believe it. Why was he with Serena? How did Serena know him? She glanced at the numbers on the doors she was passing, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37 …

"Thirty-nine!" Lita exclaimed, stopping suddenly at the door.

She fumbled in her shorts pockets, jabbing her fingers on her keys, trying to pull them out. Pushing a key with an orange pattern on it into the key hole, Lita prayed to the Gods that Mina hadn't changed her lock.

With a sweet relief, the lock clicked and the door opened, just as Amy had caught up to Lita.

"Lita, can you please tell me-whoa," Amy stopped talking as their eyes fell onto Mina, who was slumped beneath Malachite on the couch, locked at the lips.

Mina and Malachite both jumped as they heard Amy and Lita come in the door.

"Oh Jesus," Lita muttered.

"This is kind of a bad time Lita, I think we should go," Amy said quietly, grabbing hold of Lita's arm.

"No, you two, stop that please," Lita requested, walking further into the apartment.

The apartment was just as small as Lita and Amy's, with a small computer crammed into the corner of the living area, and an orange and white chequered rug covering the space between the two couches, which sat opposite each other.

Lita walked into the kitchen area, turning on the kettle and plopping herself onto the counter while Amy still stood frozen at the door, Mina and Malachite were busy untangling themselves and looking surprisingly guilty.

"Why are we here?" Amy asked, looking at Lita.

"Shut the door Ames," Lita sighed.

Amy frowned, before stepping forward and pushing the door shut.

"We need to talk about Serena," Lita announced. "You saw the way she acted then Ames, one minute she was normal, after talking with her father she was on the verge of tears,"

Mina stood up. "Where is she now?"

"No idea," Lita said quietly, looking down.

"Is this Serena from last night?" Malachite asked, also standing up.

"Yep," Mina answered.

The kettle rumbled next to Lita before clicking to announce that it was finished.

"Tea, everyone?" Lita asked.

"Yeah," Mina answered.

"OK," Amy said mournfully.

Malachite looked between the three best friends in wonder. "How can you think of drinking tea when you're best friend could be in danger?"

Mina placed a hand on his shoulder when Lita jumped down from the counter, anger flourishing her face.

"No Lita," Amy commanded. "I'll explain."

Lita let a noise that sounded an awful lot like a growl. "Fine,"

"The thing is we don't know where to start," Amy said quietly, looking at Malachite with weary eyes. "God knows we'd do anything for her, but where do you propose we start? We can't go to her house!"

"Why not?" Malachite asked.

"Her father," Mina muttered. "He won't let us near her while she's working."

"What is it?" Malachite asked.

"That's what we're telling you!" Lita shouted. "We don't have a bloody clue what she does!"

"It's her job," Amy answered. "We don't know what it is, but that's what she calls it when she has to leave."

"She's not had a proper night out since she was sixteen," Mina said quietly. "Even then, when we went out, all we did was get drunk in some graveyard or behind bins somewhere."

"Speak for yourself," Amy insisted.

"Oh," Malachite muttered. "So, all you know is that she'd being … controlled by her father?"

"That's a … different way of putting it," Amy commented.

"That's not the point!" Lita growled. "We need to find out where the hell she is now, we need to get her away from what she is doing, whatever she is doing!"

Or who, Mina thought to herself.

-

"We're having beans on toast!" Darien announced.

John and Rini both looked at him with confused expressions on their faces, before looking into the bin and sighing.

"I can't believe you burnt a whole chicken," John commented, shaking his head while Darien's cheekbones blushed.

"It's not my fault!" Darien claimed. "I must have leant against the button."

"I swear, you're more of a child than Rini sometimes," John said sadly, smiling though, sitting down at the table in front of his plate.

Rini laughed heartily at this, sitting down also in front of what she expected to be her meal.

"Rini, what was that this morning?" Darien asked, grabbing a plate from the side and sitting down at the head of the table. "Wake up you're a drama queen?"

Rini's face lit bright red so that it reflected her eyes. "Shut up,"

"What was that?" John asked, looking at Darien.

"Oh, nothing really," Darien said, swirling his beans around with his fork. "Just that Rini's a pretty good singer-ow!"

Darien dropped his fork, grabbing his knee under the table.

John shook his head. "It's not very lady-like to kick people Rini,"

Rini smothered a smile. "I'm sorry."

Darien narrowed his eyes, picking up his fork again.

"You really are a big kid," John commented.

"Well, I'm sorry, what else do you propose I do when my daughter kicks me?" Darien asked rhetorically, shovelling another fork of beans into his mouth.

John laughed lightly.

"Anyway," Darien said, pushing the conversation forward. "What about this boy, Helios?"

"Boy?" John asked, looking up at Rini.

Rini froze. "Um, I just met him today,"

"Boy?" John repeated, looking to Darien.

"She was waiting for me outside school with a boy," Darien informed. "And they were standing awfully close,"

John looked back at Rini. "Name, age, location,"

Rini blinked. "You're not serious,"

John raised an eyebrow as if to ask her to test him.

"He's in year eleven so he could be fifteen or sixteen, I'm not sure where he lives and his name is Helios," Rini answered quietly.

"What's his last name?" John asked with narrowed eyes.

"Um … Helios, Elysion?" Rini offered. "Yeah, I think that was it."

John and Darien both dropped their forks.

"Helios Elysion?" they both whispered.

Silence fell around the table. Rini was unsure why it was uncomfortable; it was only a name!

"Yes, Helios Elysion," Rini confirmed.

"No," Darien said simply, while John sighed.

"What do you mean 'No'?" Rini asked, brow scrunched in confusion.

"You are not allowed to see that boy," Darien said, pushing his message across. "You are not allowed to talk to him, not allowed to mention him and you are certainly not allowed to date him."

"What do you mean?" Rini asked, outraged. "You can't just forbid me from a friend!"

"Oh yes I can young lady," Darien whispered sternly. "And Helios Elysion is on the no-go list."

"This is ridiculous!" Rini hissed. "He's a school boy!"

"Exactly!" Darien bit back. "School kids are at the worst at the moment, and I know he got expelled from his last school, it was all over the papers about his fights."

"And?" Rini asked coldly. "You're not exactly an angel, are you?"

"You have no right to judge me," Darien said sternly. "I'm your father."

"No, you're not!" Rini yelled, standing up.

"Sit down Rini," John said calmly.

"No Granda!" Rini said loudly. "Have you heard what he's saying to me?"

"Yes, and I agree," John announced. "You can't see him."

"What?" Rini shrieked. "Has everyone gone crazy? Do you not want me to be happy any more?"

"That's not what we're saying," John soothed.

"Yes it is!" Rini yelled, looking desperately between them. "Next thing you won't want me to be friends with Hotaru because her father is a professor!"

"Rini!" Darien scolded. "Do not talk to your grandfather like that!"

Rini bit her lip, tears threatening to tumble over her cheeks. "You're not exactly perfect, Darien,"

Darien opened his mouth, only to close it as Rini pushed away from the table, running out of the kitchen.

Thirty seconds passed until John and Darien heard the front door slam shut followed by the car door which was somewhat more distant.

"I don't know what to do about her," Darien said, shaking his head and sighing.

"Maybe you should approach her differently?" John suggested. "We can't let her know that boy though."

"I know," Darien agreed, "she just doesn't understand-"

"Maybe it's us that don't understand," John said quietly.

Darien sighed again, rubbing his temples with two fingers. "Teenagers are confusing."

"You were worse," John commented.

-

The house was tall, with blue stones covering the walls, ivory slithering up the sides of it. The windows seemed like eyes, watching as a petite blonde walked up the gravel pathway.

The greenery on either side of the path seemed overgrown as it reached the blonde's calves and brushed them gently.

The blonde herself seemed out of place in the garden, a ray of light in the bleak surroundings. Her attire seemed to reflect this dismal atmosphere, simple black trousers and a top that her father had left for her in the car.

Her heels clacked softly against the gravel as she walked slowly, trying not to stumble, wanting to prolong her absence from Diamond's clutches.

Serena Tsukino was afraid.

But the blue door was approaching fast. She had nowhere to turn, she could only go forward, and as much as she hated it; she couldn't do anything about her future.

Within a foot of the door, she stopped. The paint on the door was chipped, a black diamond shaped knocker hung slap bang in the middle which seemed to overtake half of the door.

Gulping, Serena lifted the knocker and brought it down to the door twice, awaiting her doom.

Within ten seconds, the door swung open. But instead of revealing a pasty, grey eyed Diamond, it revealed a teenager. His eyes were bright gold, something that alarmed Serena.

Diamond had a son?

"You must be my Uncle's friend?" the boy asked.

Serena let out a breath she had been holding in and let a fake smile take her lips. "That's me."

"Oh," the boy said quietly. "You better come in then."

Serena smiled at him as he stepped to the side. She walked in, looking around the stone cold hallway. No pictures, no personality. Or more, it was Diamond's personality.

She couldn't decide which was worse; no personality, or his.

"So, what's your name?" she asked, turning to the boy who was shutting the door.

He hesitated, turning back around to the woman. She seemed nice. "I'm Helios Elysion."

"Elysion?" Serena asked. "Not Diamond?"

"No, my mum was his sister and I took my fathers name," Helios answered.

"Oh, where are your parents now?" Serena asked.

"They're … dead miss," Helios said quietly, looking at his feet.

"Oh," Serena said. "I'm so sorry,"

"Don't worry," Helios insisted, looking up at her. "They died in a plane crash, and it doesn't really bother me because I have my uncle."

Serena smiled weakly. What could she say? She couldn't tell him what his uncle was really like.

"Anyway, he asked me to take you to his room as soon as you came in," Helios went on.

Serena gulped. "Oh right," she said mournfully. "We shouldn't keep him waiting then."

"This way," Helios instructed, walking down the hallway.

Serena didn't follow him at first, rather marvelled at the fact that he was so upbeat. How could someone who had lost nearly everything not be broken by that? Especially at such a young age.

Taking off behind Helios, Serena wondered what else she could find out about the boy.

Walking to Diamond's room seemed to pass over to quickly, something that Serena had prayed for wouldn't happen. She watched as Helios knocked on the door, before walking away with a quiet goodbye.

Serena bade her goodbye and watched as the door in front of her opened, revealing the exact person she didn't want to see.

"I've been waiting for you Serena," Diamond drawled.

**A/N: There was loads of Rini + Darien in this, wasn't there?! John – do you like him? I added a little bit of depth to Amy, with the whole mum thing which will come out soon! - what do you think of that? Lita + Nephrite?!**

**Also, did you like the … new (?) side to Diamond? And Mina! What does she know?**

**There wasn't that much of Serena in this, I'm kind of glad – cause the last chapters all revolved around her ^_^ - what do you think?**

**REVIEW, AND VOTE OF THE POLL! **

**Love from – Niamh-chan :)**

**(P.S - I have a story blog, I'll keep you updateed on what's going on; .com/ - a twitter; /sailorjupiterox and of course, email me )**


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm SO sorry guys, this has taken FAR longer than I wanted – but at least you're getting breaks (if that's what you want? :D) I'm sorry about this being so long … but after my holiday I found something out that basically broke my heart and I've been trying to recuperate.**

**Disclaimer; I don't own Sailor Moon?! If only … ^_^**

**ChamberlinofMusic – I like to think it's getting hot too, although there's not much SxD at the moment, is it? It will be soon though! :)**

**PinkSlytherin – I agree! ^_^**

**LadyKoneko – Thank you :)**

**mangamania – I know, I'm cruel – the characters hate me, but whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, eh? :)**

**lovelyl – this review made my day! Thank you so much, I try to keep it a bit different! :)**

**SerentiyMoonGodness – Thank you :) I feel bad on Serena too (N).**

**Whartongirl11 – I like John too (he's based on my late grandfather, so I try to keep him as real as possible) Oh, you don't like Rini? Well, at least she's evoking some emotion from you – that's all I ask :D LitaxNephrite, is going to be the best to write – because she's with Taiki remember? :) And thank you, I really enjoyed my trip, it was good fun :) Thank you for saying the story is good too :DD**

**blooby – yes, I think he's good too :DD**

**colettecarter – Thank you so much! It is a pretty sad story, but never fear – good (kind of) will prevail! :)**

**Marlen – well I like to show Darien and Serena separate in my stories :) Thank you :)**

**SailorMoonForever – Thank you, it means a lot to me – as I know how much you write and I'm glad you were able to fit this in :D**

**RoyalLovers1418 – Me neither! I already have plans for that bit :D!! I'm trying so hard to get stuff uploaded quickly for you all – but my social life (I have one?!) is keeping my dragged down a bit (N).**

**Alita Maralva – Loved the review – I'm glad you like Rini, as she's key in this story whether you like her or not – thank you :)**

"_**You're a saint, you're a queen, and I'm just another boy without a crown."**_

_**(I really love All Time Low at the moment – going to see them on September 30**__**th**__** !)**_

Chapter Seven.

It was barely dawn when she woke. The yellow haze of daybreak had only just began to seep in her room from the cracks in the blinds, hitting her pixie like face sharply.

Realisation from the night before burnt into her mind abruptly, making her swipe at her face, checking that her tears had subsided. Darien had shouted at her and she had declined him as her father. Biting her lip, Rini pushed the covers from her body, sliding nimbly out of her bed and onto her dainty feet. She stumbled sleepily across her room, falling to her knees in front of her dresser.

The drawers opened easily at her tug, revealing her surprisingly neatly folded uniform.

She sighed and pulled out her uniform, sliding the drawer back. The motion made her hand tremble, along with her bottom lip which her teeth clamped down on.

Tears of regret welled at her ducts and did not stop falling until she left the house silently.

-

Terror was evident in her body, making her paralysed from the previous night, Serena couldn't help but feel worse than ever.

Before she met Diamond, she felt no pride about herself and her body, but now, she knew she hadn't deserved any of this. Now she felt ashamed.

Or had it been before Diamond? Was it before Darien?

Lying upon the black and blue sheets of Diamond's bed, Serena bit back her tears. But why was she stopping herself? Shouldn't she have been used to this kind of treatment? Why on Earth did she decide now that she deserved more than this?

Diamond rolled over next to her, distracting her from her thoughts. His face seemed content with sleep. Serena quickly decided that she preferred him when he was asleep. He seemed like an angel when he slept, although she knew the devil that aroused when he was awake.

She knew all too well of that devil.

They had only met two times, and yet Serena already felt she knew this man inside out; all things that hurt her, physically and mentally.

Why was that boy-Helios-with his Uncle in the first place? Had Diamond killed his parents as easily as he would kill her? Or were they more sick and twisted as Diamond himself for him to step in?

She could only picture one man that was worse than Diamond.

Tsukino. Her own father was the worst person she knew.

Of course he was! How hadn't she seen that until now? Even Diamond wouldn't force a child to sleep with men as soon as they were sixteen. Or would he?

There was so much for her to learn, and she had only just realised how much. She had only just realised how naïve she had been until then.

Suddenly feeling as though she had been living in a bubble all of her life, that kept her from the reality that she had been abused all this time, Serena couldn't help but feel slightly sorry for herself. Even though she had always been grateful for the fact that her father put a roof over her head and gave her money to put food in her mouth, she felt as though he had never been a father to her.

And she felt no guilt from feeling this way.

"Serena," a hoarse voice came.

Blinking away her thoughts, Serena looked at Diamond to see him awake.

"I think you should get back," he told her, surprisingly soft.

"OK," she said obligingly.

"There's clothes for you on the chair over there," he said, lifting his finger to point at a chair in the corner of the room.

Serena nodded and swung her legs out of the bed, or the hell hole as she now thought of it. She jumped out of the bed, landing nimbly on the pads of her feet and walking over to the chair with a shy grace.

She dressed away from Diamond, who she presumed was watching her, making her feel sick. Leaving dressed in a modest pant suit, Serena felt as though a sheet had been lifted from her eyes.

Knowing now that she had never deserved what her father had put her through – there was only one thing left to do.

Escape.

But how was she to achieve that? All she had ever known was her father's … care; as bad as it was.

Leaving Diamond seemed to fly over in a blurry haze, which Serena was thankful for.

Walking down the drive, Serena pulled out her phone that Diamond had conveniently thrown towards the clothes he had left her the previous night, and dialled a number she knew all too well.

The monotone ring sounded in her ears, each pulling her closer and closer to becoming free of her father's vice like grip.

"Hello?" a deep voice came through.

"Nephrite," Serena breathed, happy that he had picked up. "Are you working?"

"Yes, your father told me to wait for you, Miss Tsukino," Nephrite answered, rather mechanically.

"All night?" Serena asked, slightly outraged.

"It's OK, I had nothing to do anyway," Nephrite said quickly. "What did you need?"

"I need your help," Serena admitted quickly. "Where are you?"

"What is it?" Nephrite asked.

"I'll talk to you when I find you," Serena said quietly. "Where are you?"

"At a internet café shop in town," said Nephrite. "I could pick you up."

"No need, I'll ring a taxi, I have a bit of change on me," Serena said, trying to think out the price.

"Are you sure, I can always pick you up," Nephrite suggested.

"It's fine, honest," Serena declined. "See you in a bit."  
-

The internet café was an extremely cluttered building. With only one story, it seemed to shrink compared to the tall grey buildings that resided either side of it. It had fogged up windows, bricks chipped along the wall, and the few people that sat inside all seemed to be inhaling the oppressive atmosphere that hung around the room.

Chairs clung to the desks of the computers, almost afraid that if they were a foot away, they would turn to dust, while on the other side of the room, booths isolated customers from one another.

A man sat at the far back, chin brushing his chest from his drooping head and arms folded protectively across his chest. The stool that he was sat on barely supported him, and instead made him arch forward, but that could have been his usual stance anyway. The desk in front of him carried only a plastic cup containing grey coffee and a notebook.

Lita Kino was sat opposite a very familiar stranger in the booth closest to the door. Her hands were draining all the warmth from the plastic cup in front of her, her hair dragged into her signature ponytail, strands falling from either side of her head.

"Nephrite," she said quietly, eyeing the man in front of her. "Why are you here?"

Nephrite smiled, "I wanted to talk to you."

"All the talking is done," Lita hissed. "You decided that when you left,"

"When I left?" Nephrite asked, his smile faltering. "I didn't-"

"Oh right," Lita said sarcastically, cutting him off and leaning back. "So that's why when I got back to your apartment that night, you had moved out, left no note or nothing,"

"I had to leave," Nephrite said quickly, his shoulders sagging. "OK, I was going to leave the Tsukino's for you, but he threatened me,"

"And what?" Lita asked. "You've been threatened with your life before,"

"I didn't say it was with my life," Nephrite said quietly.

"What does Serena do?" Lita quizzed. "Tell me honestly,"

Nephrite shook his head. "I-it's not my place to tell you,"

Lita sighed. "I'm one of her best friends, I need to know that she's safe, and at the moment she is not safe at all,"

Nephrite nodded. "I understand, but I'm forbidden to let anyone know,"

Lita groaned. "Why are you so afraid of Tsukino? Why can't you just tell me?"

Nephrite closed his eyes to speak, "when he threatened me, he threatened me with you,"

Lita frowned, but stayed quiet.

"He told me that if I left, you'd know about it, and he'd do away with you."

"So you were 'acting the hero' as it were?" Lita asked.

Nephrite shrugged. "Serena told me you're in a long term relationship,"

Lita nodded. "Yes,"

"Do long term relationships mean that you can meet up with other men?" Nephrite asked, eyes soft.

"This is not meeting up," Lita defended. "This was accidental bumping into."

Nephrite looked down at the dregs of his coffee. "I still want you, you know,"

Sighing, Lita bit her lip and rested a hand over Nephrite's that lay on the table. "I'm sorry,"

"Me too," Nephrite said quietly. "I'm sorry I left,"

"I guess this is growing up," Lita mused softly.

Nephrite nodded, looking back up at Lita. "Do you love him?"

Lita's eyes widened. Both of them were frozen, Nephrite in curiosity, Lita in shock.

How was it that this man always left her speechless?

Clearing her throat, Lita pulled her hand away from Nephrite, "I, have to go," she said lowly, grabbing her bag from her side and shifting out to the side to stand up.

"I want to see you again," Nephrite admitted.

"You can't."

Nephrite sighed, grabbing a pen from his pocket and a napkin and scribbling down his number. "Just, call me if you ever need to talk."

Lita frowned, but picked up the napkin and put it in her bag before leaving the internet café.

-  
An empty mug sat in between his hands, his head was dipped in worry of what the man in front of him was about to say. His fiancé sat to his left, a delicate hand resting on his arm, her black hair flowing down her back while her left fingers drummed onto the table, the jewel on her engagement ring glinting against the sunlight, ruby red flashing every time she moved her hand.

"To what do I owe the honour?" John asked across from the happy couple.

Raye and Jed looked at each other nervously. "We have a date," Raye said finally.

John laughed. "I would be sure you've had a few, you've been together for so long,"

"No, Granda," Raye said quietly. "We … we've booked a church for our wedding,"

John's eyes narrowed. "A wedding."

"Our wedding," Raye corrected, feeling Jed's muscles tighten from John's glare.

"Your wedding," John mused. "You do understand that there's a lot more to marriage than a wedding. I don't think Darien will approve either."

Raye sighed. "Granda, me and Jed have been together for a lot longer than any of Darien's relationships, why do you always try to make me feel inferior to him?"

John shook his head. "That's not it at all Raye, I just feel that you should talk to him,"

"Why?" Raye asked, looking at her grandfather straight in the eye.

The simple question shocked John; Raye was acting exactly as Rini had the previous night.

"Why?" John repeated. "Because he's your brother,"

Raye scowled, letting go of Jed's arm to cross her arms. "I don't know why I need his permission, he's not exactly an expert, is he?"

"While that's true, I think he'd be more comfortable if he knew," John responded.

"But how? He's friends with Jed!" Raye exclaimed, hands flying onto the table. "Listen, I'll get round to Darien, do we have your consent?"

John breathed in deeply. Was he ready to let his granddaughter be taken away by another man? He looked at the awaiting couple, seeing how different they were. Jed with his wavy blonde hair that swept over his head, striking blue eyes, almost slouchy posture and kind yet goofy demeanour while Raye sat, her back so straight it was almost arched backwards, her violent purple eyes revealing her addictive sharpness.

"It's fine with me," John said, tight lipped. "I think it's Darien you're going to have a problem with."

He shrugged and pushed himself away from the table, rolling back his shoulders in the process.

"Thank you Granda," Raye said quietly, seemingly relieved.

"Thank you," Jed responded, smiling softly.

"Another drink?" John asked, shrugging off the conversation.

"Coffee please," Raye asked, tying her fingers around Jed's.

"What about you, Jed?" John asked, turning around to bring out more cups. "I'm having some whiskey in my coffee, want some?"

Jed glanced to Raye, scared. Raye smiled and just nodded.

"OK, if you don't mind?" Jed said carefully.

"Of course I mind, you're driving my granddaughter home," John said, turning back around to them and grinning.

"I'm driving," Raye protested from next to Jed.

John sighed and turned back around. "Good," he said, adding a shot of whiskey into his and Jed's cups.

Raye smiled at Jed, who returned the smile, somewhat uneasily.

"So tell me," John started, pouring the hot water into the cups. "When is this date?"

"Well, we thought about a Spring Wedding," Raye explained. "But I didn't want to wait, so it's two months after your party,"

"My party's the twenty-third of October, two weeks on Sunday," John said quietly, "so in ten weeks?"

Raye nodded. "Ten weeks, so we need to get planning,"

"Darien can help you there," John insisted. "You should tell him today,"

Raye sighed and nodded. "Fine."

-

Nephrite was still sat in the same booth when Serena entered. He beckoned her over to him, and watched as she hurried over to him.

"Nephrite, I need your help," she said quietly.

"I gathered as much on the phone," Nephrite answered.

"I need you to help me get away from my father," she gushed, her eyes glazing over as she stared at him, her eyes honest.

Nephrite opened his mouth, only to shut it.

"Come on Nephrite, I know you've been trying to get away from my father for ages," Serena insisted, keeping her voice low.

"I haven't-"

"Yes, you have," Serena confirmed. "Ever since he threatened to hurt your girlfriend,"

"You would have done the same thing," Nephrite defended.

"No, I would have run off with my love," Serena said angrily.

"Is that what you're doing now?" Nephrite asked. "I saw the way you were looking at Shields, Serena, don't hide it from me."

Serena blushed. "I've met the man once,"

"Twice," Nephrite argued. "I can't help you Serena,"

"Yes you can Nephrite, you need to help me,"

"I can't go against your father's word."

"Which is why you're going to get away from him too," Serena said sternly. "It'll take a few weeks to get away, but I swear, we _will_ get away, and you can save your girlfriend."

Nephrite shook his head. "She's with someone else now. Apparently it's a long term relationship."

Serena raised an eyebrow. "Is she happy in that relationship."

"I've asked her the same," Nephrite answered. "Not sure."

"Well there's hope for you yet, Nephrite," Serena smiled reassuringly at her 'guardian'.

-

The school yard; a place of horror to most teenagers. The insecurities, the stench of testosterone and oestrogen that had recently soared high hung around while glares were shared among the students like sweets, only increasing the density of the air.

"Why is that girl staring at us?" Rini asked, turning away from a bleach blonde to look at Hotaru inquisitively.

Hotaru shrugged. "No idea, aren't you used to it by now?"

"I should be, shouldn't I?" Rini mused, glancing around the playground again.

Her eyes fell on Helios, who seemed to be talking to another boy in the year above.

"Who's that?" Hotaru asked, looking at the same place as Rini.

"Oh, um … I'm not sure, ya know," Rini lied, shrugging.

Hotaru frowned at Rini's robotic response, but let it go.

"Are we sitting here?" Rini asked from their position next to a bench.

"OK," Hotaru said quietly, sitting down on the bench.

Silence fell over the two as Rini sat down, both of them bringing out their lunch and silently eating it.

"You OK Rini?" Hotaru asked. "I don't know, but you were weird this morning,"

"It's nothing," Rini answered, shaking her head.

"Tell me," Hotaru insisted.

Rini sighed. "OK," she said, breathing out. "My father has 'forbidden' me from speaking of or to this … person that I met the other day, just because … I'm not even sure,"

Hotaru frowned. "Right," she muttered. "So you fell out with your dad, because he said that you can't talk to someone,"

Rini nodded.

"And this someone was a boy," Hotaru summed up.

"Why do you always think the worst of me?" Rini asked, sighing.

"Force of habit," Hotaru answered, smiling.

"You're such a good friend," Rini muttered, grabbing her drink and turning away from Hotaru to face the yard.

One girl in particular caught her attention. Her hair was black, but seemed to be dyed a tinted green colour, and her school uniform seemed unusually tight while her laugh strung out through the yard. She was sat with her legs crossed about ten feet from Rini and all the girls around her were laughing at something that she had previously said.

"He was at Shields' Casino last night," the girl said arrogantly, "said it was a dump!"

The girls all laughed again while the main girl smirked, Rini glared.

"Your boyfriend is so cool!" one of the girls commented loudly.

Rini's nostrils flared, her mind turning red.

"Don't bother Rini," Hotaru warned as her friend stood up.

"Yeah, but what about the manager, Darien Shields?"

Rini's glare hardened.

"He's hot," the original girl said, seemingly contemplating him. "But he was with that slut Serena Tsukino the other night, I thought he had better taste,"

"I heard he got some girl knocked up in high school, and the kid goes to our school," some girl squealed.

Tightening her fists and ignoring Hotaru, Rini stomped over to the group of giggling girls, clearing her throat to make her presence noticed.

"Excuse me," she said thunderously, eyes glaring at the main girl.

"You're excused," the girl said slyly, lip curled.

Rini raised an eyebrow. "What's your name?"

The girl's eyes narrowed. "Emerald," she answered. "And yours?"

Rini smiled a false smile. "Well, Emerald, seems it's your lucky day," Rini said plainly, watching as Emerald stood and approached her, showing Rini how tall she was.

"What's your name?" Emerald asked, stopping a foot away from Rini.

"Rini Shields,"

It was Rini's fist that went first, flying straight into Emerald's pale jaw. Emerald recoiled and grabbed her jaw.

"You bitch!" Emerald screeched, diving for Rini.

The girls around them formed a circle, one of them screaming at the rest of the yard, "fight!"

Rini pulled on Emerald's hair, a certain part of the crowd enjoying that immensely while another stood in shock.

Emerald punched Rini in the gut, scrabbling for her hair. Pulling Emerald's head back, Rini punched her straight on the lip, feeling a large amount of satisfaction as it popped, only vaguely aware for Hotaru shouting for her to stop, somewhere in the crowd.

Suddenly, Rini felt her body on the floor, head colliding with the stone beneath her, knocking her straight out cold, unaware of the commotion caused.

Hotaru watched as Rini fell to the floor, anger pulsing through her veins at her stupid best friend.

"Rini!" Hotaru yelled, pushing some dainty girls in front of her out of the way. She watched as Emerald spat on Rini's face and felt her blood boil.

The boy with white hair from before had jogged over into the middle of the circle, and was now trying to wake up Rini. Hotaru frowned at this, but continued.

She shoved a large boy out of her way and walked up to Emerald, disgust on her face.

"If you dare even touch Rini again," Hotaru warned, getting within hitting distance of Emerald. "I swear it'll be the last thing you ever do in this lifetime,"

Emerald scowled. "Oh look, it's mummy coming to help out the little baby," she taunted, turning to all the girls and laughing with them.

Hotaru smiled coldly. No one saw it coming from the quiet and placid Hotaru, but within a second, Emerald was running away, Hotaru bringing back her hand from the well deserved slap.

At this point, the white haired boy was supporting Rini and watching the dispute between Hotaru and Emerald.

"Hey, Hotaru right?" the boy asked.

Hotaru frowned. "Yeah?"

"Help me take her to the Nurse's office," he said.

"OK," Hotaru answered, walking to him and supporting Rini's other side.

"Shit, there's blood," the boy muttered, gazing at Rini's neck.

"Crap!" Hotaru hissed as Rini's head tilted, revealing that the blood was coming from the top of her head.

"Let's get her in," the boy ordered.

Hotaru felt compelled to reply rudely to his tone, but then realised of her best friends' state.

"Yes," Hotaru agreed, tugging Rini along inside.

-

Darien Shields' office was a place that only few people outside of his employee's had seen. With grand red wallpaper and golden frames with meaningless people in them. Behind his mahogany desk was a bookcase lined walls, all of which had collected a certain amount of dust on them.

Sitting behind this desk was Darien Shields, with a lot of paperwork in front of him, which he seemed to be engrossed in. A cigarette dangled in the corner of his mouth, his head balancing on his hand as he stared down at the papers in front of him through his reading glasses.

Tapping the ash off his cigarette into his ashtray, Darien sighed and took a drag again, inhaling the smoke and letting it rip through his lungs, before finally exhaling it out. He placed it back, dangling on the corner of his mouth as he felt the nicotine rush take his mind, grabbing his pen and scribbling down a number on a cheque for Tsukino.

"Mr Shields?" someone asked.

Looking up, Darien smiled at the woman at the door. Her curly black hair reached the bottom of her back with two buns that were worn on her head like a crown, bright blue eyes fixed on Darien.

"Yes, Luna?" he asked, removing his glasses and pulling out his cigarette.

"You have a visitor," Luna said quietly.

"Who is it?" Darien asked.

"Your sister and her fiancé," Luna replied, opening the door to reveal the couple smiling.

Darien raised an eyebrow at the two, taking another drag off his cigarette.

Luna smiled and bade her goodbye, shutting the door as Raye and Jed walk in and bidding goodbye to her too.

Raye rolled his eyes at the sight of her brother smoking and walked into the room, Jed following behind her and watching as his fiancée pulled out the cigarette from her brothers mouth and stubbed it out in his ashtray.

"Why did you do that?" Darien asked.

"You don't even smoke," Raye said stubbornly.

"Raye, maybe you should have let him have it, especially since we're going to be telling him, you know," Jed said nervously.

"What are you going to tell me?" Darien asked, eyes narrowed as the couple sat down in the leather chairs that were facing his desk.

Raye took Jed's hand in comfort; this was the second time that day they had confronted an important man in Raye's life.

"We've set a date," Raye blurted out, "for our wedding,"

Darien's teeth ground together. "Wedding," he repeated.

"Yes," Raye nodded.

Darien picked up his packet of cigarettes, picking up a lighter and lighting it, taking a drag.

"Don't stop me this time," Darien warned at Raye's expression.

Raye clamped her lips together, refraining from speaking. She looked pointedly at Jed, insisting him to talk.

Jed's eyes suddenly looked like those of a doe, but after looking at this fiancée, they soon become fearful.

"Darien," Jed said quietly, a small smile taking his lips.

"Yes, Jed?" Darien asked, inhaling more smoke.

"I wanted to ask you to be my-" Jed grinned, "-best man?"

Darien's eyes narrowed. "If this is your way of trying to win me over to the fact that you're really marrying my baby sister-"

Jed's smile faltered.

"-then it's fine," Darien finished, grinning. He stubbed out his barely finished cigarette, stood up and walked around his desk, bear hugging Jed.

Jed returned the hug, laughing slightly.

Darien pulled back, looking at Raye, who grinned and jumped into her brothers hug.

"Thank you Darien," Raye whispered.

Darien chuckled. "Anything for my baby sister,"

The phone rang at his desk and pulling away from the hug, Darien picked it up.

"Darien Shields speaking," Darien said formally.

Jed and Raye looked at each other as Darien paled.

"Rini?" he whispered.

-

"We met after school one night," a voice said.

"Oh," a girl's voice said. "And do you like her?"

"I...Not in that way," a boy replied.

Everything felt extremely blurry. Her head felt heavy and her hearing all fuzzy. Rini groaned at the pounding feeling in her head, as her eyelids fluttered open.

Her throat felt dry and stuffy as her eyes concentrated on the white of a ceiling.

"Rini?" someone whispered.

Looking down to the voice who had spoken and blinking twice, Rini's eyes fell onto Hotaru.

"Ah-" Rini tried to speak, but found something obstructing her vocal cords.

"Here wait," Hotaru said quietly. "I'll go get a nurse."

Rini nodded.

"Rini?" someone asked from her other side.

Rini jumped in surprise, her eyes looking to her side.

Helios sat there, a worry line on his forehead while his white hair fell onto his face so casually that it made her wonder why on Earth he hadn't left.

"Are you all right?" Helios asked, but then chuckled at her confused expression. "I suppose you're not, getting knocked out like that isn't really good."

Rini gave him a questioning look.

"Me and Hotaru had to say we were your siblings to get in here," he told her, grinning. "The nurse was confused, seeing as we all have different coloured hair and eyes so I told her we came from a family up North, believed me quick enough,"

Rini would have laughed, if the tube wasn't in her throat, but she could only let her eyes relax.

"Here, I better be getting home," Helios said quietly.

He placed a note in her hand. "Here's my number, will you ring me when you're out, I want to talk to you,"

Rini nodded, her hand gripping the note. Helios smiled and leaned down to her forehead, pressing his lips to the skin there. "Get better soon Rini," he whispered.

Hotaru and the nurse came in then, saying something about taking out the tube and carrying a cup of ice chips, making Helios jump away from Rini, who hid the note under her hospital gown.

"I'll see you later then Rini," Helios said loudly, walking around the bed and towards the door when it opened again, revealing Raye and Jed, along with an extremely worried Darien.

"Mr Shields," Helios said with respect, nodding the way his uncle had taught him.

"Helios," Darien said with narrowed eyes. "What are you doing here?" he asked, glancing towards Rini for an answer when he noticed that Rini couldn't speak.

The nurse distracted Rini, asking for her to cough.

Rini's brow frowned, but nevertheless coughed, feeling the tube tug itself out at the natural reflex, along with the nurse's pull.

"Good girl, now take a few of these," she offered, giving Rini the cup of ice chips. "Just to help your throat,"

Rini tilted the cup up to her lips throwing almost half the cup in her mouth and almost instantly melting, giving her saliva and falling down her throat.

"Ack," she hissed at the cold. "Emerald?" she whispered.

Hotaru laughed. "Apart from a popped lip, half of her hair missing and a jaw that probably feels broken, she's fine,"

Darien frowned. "Seems like you put up a good fight, kiddo,"

Helios shook his head. "And you told me you hated fighting."

Darien glared at the floor after hearing Helios talk. "Rini," he said sternly.

Rini glared at her father. "Give it a rest dad."

Hotaru's eyes widened as she realised what Rini had been talking about earlier had been about Helios.

"Rini?" Hotaru asked.

Rini sighed, realising what Hotaru was asking. "Yes," she answered.

Hotaru grinned.

Rini took a few more ice chips, swallowing them whole now.

"Rini, care to explain what happened?" Darien asked, tight lipped.

Rini clicked her tongue against the ice chips. "Some bitch-"

"Language," Darien interrupted.

"OK," Rini said quietly. "Some extremely rude girl was being a right arse to me so I clocked her,"

Darien sighed and walked over to her bed.

"I have some news for you sweetie," Raye told Rini, pulling Jed further into the room and closing the door.

"What?" Rini asked.

"Me and Jed have a date set for the wedding," she told her. "And I want you to be my bridesmaid,"

"Really?" Rini asked, suddenly extremely happy. "Am I wearing a dress? What colour is it? Do I get to help with the music?"

Darien raised an eyebrow. "I don't think they want three hundred guests listening to 'wake up you're a drama queen'."

Rini laughed bitterly. "Shut up."

Hotaru smiled. "I think we better go now," she interrupted the bickering between her best friend and her father.

Darien nodded. "OK, Rini will ring you when she's out of here,"

Rini agreed. "Of course," she said, glancing at Helios who smiled.

"See you around Rini," Helios said, holding the door open for Hotaru and himself.

Hotaru waved goodbye to both of them and walked out the door, Helios following behind her.

Darien looked at Rini as soon as the door had closed.

Rini shook her head. "There's nothing wrong with him," she denied.

Darien sighed. "Raye, Jed, can I speak to Rini alone?" he asked.

Raye was about to reply, rather rudely, when Jed cut her off. "Of course, we'll be outside waiting,"

Jed pulled Raye towards the door, opening it closing it behind them."Dad-" Rini said, but Darien interrupted her.

"Rini," Darien said sternly. "You're lucky that you're still alive. That girl could have seriously hurt you,"

"But she didn't," Rini said, rolling her eyes. "Jeez dad, it's not as if you've never been in a fight-"

"It's not about what I've done," Darien interrupted again. "It's about how much you worried me."

"You don't seem worried," Rini argued. "No, instead you have a go at me for who I hand about with,"

"That's the thing Rini!" Darien said exasperatedly. "You're hanging about with the one person who you shouldn't be!"

"Why is that?" Rini asked. "Why don't you like Helios so much? You didn't care when I was with Masanori, in fact, you kind of liked him, so why not Helios?"

Darien frowned. "That's because Masanori had a decent family,"

Rini scowled. "Oh, and you think that we're so high class ourselves?"

"Don't you dare talk about this family like that," Darien said sternly.

Flaring her nostrils, Rini looked away. "Don't you get it, you're not letting me be friends with someone just because of his family, when his family could easily say the same about us!"

"They have, no doubt," Darien told her. "His Uncle is Diamond,"

"Diamond?" Rini asked, looking at Darien. "Who the hell is Diamond?"

"He's a client of Serena," Darien said carefully.

"Oh, so he's a client of your precious girlfriend who you have met once," Rini scoffed.

Darien sighed. "The thing is, he's notorious, and to be honest, I'd rather you didn't get messed up with him. Maybe Helios is a good person, but I don't care."

Rini fell against her pillow. "I'm only talking to him,"

"Yes, but if Diamond finds out that you are, he might use you against me or Helios," Darien said spitefully. "That whole family is twisted, do you know why Helios lives with Uncle?"

Rini shook her head.

"His parents tried to kill him. They drove off a cliff, trying to end all of their lives, but Helios managed to escape," Darien said gravely. "Because it looked like an accident, Diamond received full custody of Helios."

Rini closed her eyes. So that was why Helios lived with his Uncle, she had been wondering why.

"How do you know they were trying to kill themselves? Maybe it was an accident," Rini suggested.

"It was obvious, Rini," Darien said, sighing. "They hated Helios, they hated being tied down. They were evil."

Rini shook her head. "That doesn't mean Helios is dad," she hissed.

Sighing again, Darien towards the door. "Just think about it Rini," he said, pulling open the door and walking outside able to hear Rini huff inside.

"Darien," a female voice asked.

Looking towards the voice, Darien's eyes fell onto Raye.

"Listen to me," Raye said quietly.

Darien looked around for Jed but couldn't see him any where.

"He gave Hotaru and Helios a lift back," Raye answered his unasked question. "That Helios is a good kid you know. Hotaru told me that he was the one who thought to bring Rini to the hospital-"

"Oh I must give him some flowers then," Darien scoffed.

"Don't interrupt me," Raye scolded. "He's a good kid. He's not like his family. He's the one who lied to the nurse and doctors so that Rini wasn't alone. He has been nothing but a gentleman to Rini, which is more than I can say for you," she added pointedly.

Darien shook his head.

"No, listen to me," Raye said, looking straight at Darien with her violet eyes. "I may not know what it's like to raise a child, but I know what it's like to be a girl with a crush. She's hurting right now, and you're not helping her at all. She feels like nothing is ever going to happen between her and the boy she likes, and yet even if something did happen, you're not going to let that happen. That just makes her feel as though you're ganging up on her."

"I'm only trying to protect-"

"I know, Darien, I know," Raye answered. "But, Rini doesn't know that. She thinks that you're trying to make her unhappy. Don't you see how unfair she sees you as?"

Darien nodded, admitting defeat. "What am I supposed to do Raye?"

Raye shrugged. "No idea," she said. "Why don't you tell her, that you're there for her, like a father should be?"

Darien sighed. "You know Raye, for someone who didn't take psychology, you sure understand people well."

"I'm a woman Darien, of course I understand people,"

Darien shook his head, completely confused.

**A/N: I feel there's too much of Rini in this story – even though she shouldn't really be a main character, but it's interesting to write about her relationship with Darien – especially her selfishness as a teenager – but I like the RinixHelios relationship and can't stop writing about it :D. So I'm sorry about that (if you don't like Rini!) ^_^**

**This chapter has a bit about Serena – but not a lot … sorry about that! I didn't get much done on holiday … so it took me a while longer than I had planned!**

**You know what I hate? The fact that in this chapter, Diamond seemed almost … nice? (well, in a mean way?) SHOCKKKK! Trust me, he's not meant to come across as that! But, tell me what you think of him – I'm curious as to what people think of the bad guy.**

**Oh and, from the place I was imagining Diamond's house would be, into my town and the internet café shop that I was thinking of is only about £6 in Taxi fare – yes, I checked for you (I like to put in the homework ^_^)**

**Don't forget to _review + vote_ in the poll! And tell other SM fans (or even just friends who don't know what SM is) to read this please, it'd get out SO much quicker if I had more people reading :)**

**Lots of Love, Niamh :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**This chapter has taken too long ! I am SO sorry! I really like this chapter, I have no idea why. It just makes me happy really.**

**Anyway, my life has been AWESOME lately, that's why this has taken so long! Hopefully, I'll write the next chapter soon, so you might not be waiting that long :)**

**Disclaimer; I do not own Sailor Moon … ham. (Private joke)**

"_**Feels like I'm falling in love alone, Stella won't you take me home?"**_

_**All Time Low !**_

Chapter Eight

The next day, Serena finally woke up in her own bed. She groaned at the thought that she hadn't been there in so long, and jumped at the thought that soon, when free of her father's clutches, she would be sleeping in her own bed every night.

She woke up to white sheets fogging her vision, long limbs twisted around her blanket, her head had fallen from the pillows to the mattress; but that didn't matter.

She grinned into her sheets, feeling extremely elated, until her bedroom door flew open, causing books to fall off of her book shelf.

"Serena!" a woman shouted.

Serena groaned at Lita's voice.

"Lita?" Serena mumbled, looking over her bed sheets to see Lita, Mina, Amy and – her newest friend – Raye, stood at her bedroom door.

"What-why are you all here?" Serena asked with narrowed eyes.

Lita raised an eyebrow. "If you had looked at your phone, you'd know,"

Serena rolled her eyes, shuffling over her king sized bed – which she bought herself, and constantly reminded herself of that fact – to grab her phone and flip it open, revealing six messages.

Lita: We're all meeting at Rubeus', you should come, we haven't seen you in a while x x x

Mina: Not sure if you're coming to Rubeus' or not? Text back, k? :) x

Lita: I swear, if you don't get your ass down to Rubeus', I'll come and drag you there, love you :) x x x

Lita: …? x

Lita: Rubeus' is a-calling! They have your favourite coffee on offer! :) x

Lita: See you in five minutes, :D x x x

Serena shook her head, laughter taking over her.

"Come on, we all want a day out together!" Mina whined. "And, Raye has something to tell us but she won't tell us until we're all together!"

"All right, I'll come!" Serena yelled. "Just give me ten minutes."

She slid out of her bed, a chill hitting her legs when she realised she was only wearing her underwear and a vest.

"I really hate my life," Serena groaned, stomping to her chest of drawers.

"We'll be in the kitchen, making you breakfast," Amy said quietly.

Serena smiled. "You're my favourite Amy,"

Lita and Mina both began to shout at Serena when Amy pulled them out of the bedroom, with Raye following behind them. Serena chuckled, yes as soon as she was free from her father, she could spend more time with her friends, stop 'sleeping around', and get a job that she wanted.

It would be such a better time, she decided with joy.

-

She had only just managed to slap on some make up, pull on some heels and an outfit and grab her purse and phone before Lita and Mina came into her room, demanding that she ate in the taxi.

"How are we all supposed to fit in a taxi?" Serena asked, biting into her piece of toast, and balancing her other piece on a piece of kitchen towel while her phone and purse were tucked underneath her arm.

"Mina can sit on someone's lap," Lita offered.

"Oh thanks, I get no say in this?" Mina asked.

"You're used to being in people's lap," Lita shrugged, getting into the taxi. "You know, a certain someone called … Mal!"

Serena raised an eyebrow, sitting in beside Lita while Amy walked around to the front.

"So, you actually got with him then?" Serena asked.

"And?" Mina asked, scooting over to sit on Lita's lap. "If I have to suffer, then so do you," she shrugged, before turning back to Serena. "At least I didn't get with Raye's brother!"

"You did?" Raye asked, shutting the door after her. "Why? He's disgusting!"

All the girls raised eyebrows.

"To Rubeus' Café on West Street," Amy told the taxi driver.

The taxi began at a smooth pace, going through all of the quicker back streets.

"He's not disgusting Raye," Mina admitted. "In fact, he's one of the best looking blokes any of us have seen."

"Don't let Mal here you say that," Serena said quietly, her face bright red and taking another bite of her toast. "And anyway, I did not get with Darien, he doesn't like me like that,"

Raye chuckled. "Really?" she asked. "Well, he told my grandfather otherwise,"

"I've been meaning to ask you," Serena said, changing the subject. "Does your Grandfather smoke a pipe and wear a flat cap?"

"Sometimes, yeah, why?" Raye asked.

"Oh, no reason," Serena muttered, thinking of the old man at the park.

Had that really been Raye and Darien's Grandfather, apparently one of the most powerful men in London, was a frail old man who smoked from a pipe?

Serena laughed to herself, shaking her head slightly.

"I think he likes you anyway," Raye said happily. "I mean, he actually spent time with you, didn't he?"

"Yeah, and?" Serena asked.

"Well, normally he'd just bed and leg," Raye shrugged, looking at the girls, who were in turn, staring at her. "It's just a phrase that the boys came up with."

Lita and Serena both laughed at Raye's outburst.

"Oh Raye, we're all together now, so I think that maybe you should tell us that thing," Mina suggested, a grin on her lips.

Raye smiled. "Can't we wait-"

Mina's glare cut her off.

"Fine OK then," Raye sighed. "I know I've not known you for long at all, but me and Jed have set a date for our wedding,"

"That's great!" Lita exclaimed.

"When is it?" Mina asked.

"That's really great Raye," Serena said, smiling.

"Congratulations," Amy said, "hey girls, I don't think that Raye is finished."

"Thanks Amy," Raye said gratefully. "I don't really have many girl friends, and my niece is already one, but I'd really like you all to be my bridesmaids, will you?"

A sharp, collected breath came from all the girls, before they all grinned.

"Of course!" Lita and Mina both shouted, leaping over Serena to hug Raye.

Serena smiled warmly at Raye, "of course we will,"

Amy nodded, smiling, "thank you."

"I'm sorry to break this up, but we're here," the taxi drivers voice came through.

"Oh, OK," Mina said, pulling away from Raye, along with Lita.

Scrambling out of the taxi, Amy gave money to the taxi driver who smiled, tipped his hat and said, "congratulations for your friend."

Amy smiled and thanked him before jumping out of the car.

In front of them was Rubeus' Café, with Rubeus stood at the door, smiling at his favourite customers. He had bright red hair, pierced ears and blue eyes that were filled with kindness.

"Serena! Lita! Amy! Mina!" he greeted them all with a kiss on the cheek. "And you have a new friend?"

"Hey Rubeus," they all greeted the strange man.

"This is Raye, she's getting married soon," Mina said, smiling at Raye.

"Oh, congratulations!" Rubeus said. "Come in and meet everyone,"

All the girls walked inside, pulling Raye over to their favourite table, a table with two couches and an armchair around it, right by the window, while Rubeus went behind the counter. The café was basic, with tiled flooring, cushioned seats and gentle jazz music in the background.

As soon as they sat down, two women had appeared. One of them had curly purple hair, pale skin and vivid purple eyes, much like Raye's, while the other woman seemed to have white hair pulled into a braid, with blue streaks running through it and bright blue eyes.

"Serena!" the purple haired woman said happily.

"Catsi," Serena greeted. "Birdy, this is our new friend, Raye,"

Raye smiled from her place on the couch as the two women waved at her.

"What can we get for you girls?" Birdy asked.

"I'd like a smoothie," Serena said casually.

"Mm, latte," Mina smiled.

"Expresso?" Lita asked.

"I'll have an ice tea," Amy answered.

"Coffee please," Raye asked, smiling.

"OK, that's all right girls, Prizma and Avery will be over to give them to you in a minute," Catsi said happily, bouncing off with Birdy.

"Sorry, they're all a bit energetic," Lita laughed, looking at Raye.

"It's all right," Raye answered, smiling kindly.

"I was just thinking, can we bring dates to the wedding or is it going to be a small wedding?" Amy asked, looking at Raye in her cautious manner.

"You want to bring this Zoi, don't you?" Mina asked, with a Cheshire-cat grin.

Amy blushed.

"We want to meet him!" Lita exclaimed, raising eyebrows from other customers.

"Of course you can all have dates," Raye said kindly, smiling.

"So that means Mina will bring Mal," Serena said happily.

"Ha ha ha, Serena, what about you, are you going to go with Darien?" Mina teased.

Serena's face fell serious. "Shut up."

"He's the best man," Raye mused.

"Oh, the best man and the bridesmaid!" Lita exclaimed again. "It's like this mills and boons I once read, it was so romantic,"

"You read mills and boons?" Mina asked, laughter bubbling at her throat.

"Yes, and?" Lita asked.

"Nothing, didn't say a word," Mina said, shaking her head.

Lita narrowed her eyes playfully. "You're a bad friend,"

Mina laughed. "Oh, I know,"

Raye looked between the two, at first worried that they were arguing, until she saw grin spread across each of their faces, when they looked towards the others.

"Do you two normally do that?" Raye asked.

Mina and Lita both nodded, smiling.

Serena shook her head. "They gave me a heart attack the first time they did that too," she told Raye, who smiled happily.

"You're too good for him you know," Raye said to Serena, who looked surprised.

"Who?" Serena asked, a frown appearing on her face.

"My brother," Raye answered. "You're far too kind-hearted for him, or maybe that's what he needs,"

Serena blinked twice, not understanding this random topic. "Um, well … we're not even together, I've met him like twice,"

"Twice?" Mina asked. "I thought you only met him outside! Lita, that's what you said!"

Lita shook her head. "I thought they only met outside, where else could they have met?"

Raye raised an eyebrow. "Serena's father does business with my family,"

Serena bit her lip, looking down at the table.

Amy piped up then. "Serena," she said quietly, leaning in, along with the rest of the girls. "We're all here for you,"

Serena glanced up, looking at them all carefully.

Lita with her extreme passion for everything, who embraced everything and anything, who knew every crook this side of Britain, and some on the other side. Mina, who was so confident and over-flowing with love, she seemed to make everyone fall in love with her but never seemed to fall in love herself. Amy, the quiet genius who kept everyone in check and loved them even when they made a mess, despite her awful childhood. And then Raye, the fiery raven-haired girl who Serena felt like she could trust, like a sister.

Smiling, despite the boiling tears that had built at her ducts, Serena looked at her friends again, unaware of the two girls who had arrived with a tray until they announced themselves.

"Hey girls!" Avery greeted casually, waving at them.

Prizma, a woman with hair as green as her eyes and pale skin that seemed almost transparent, was holding the tray, while Avery, probably the only normal-looking worker there wore her chocolate brown hair in a yellow bow, bringing attention to her bright brown eyes, was serving the drinks.

The girls thanked Prizma and Avery, who both introduced themselves to Raye.

Lita leaned into Serena. "Serena," she whispered. "Can you tell me later what is up?"

Serena looked at Lita carefully, going over in her mind what she could tell Lita. And finally decided on the truth.

She nodded and gave a weak smile.

Lita smiled and pulled away, joining in with the rest of the group.

-

Serena smiled at the girls, waving back at them as they got a taxi, and promising them that she would see them at her place later, after she picked up a few things from town herself.

But she didn't need to pick anything up. She had decided to give herself some time to think, and they go back and tell the girls everything. Or should she lie?

She closed her eyes, trying to figure out what on Earth she could tell them, and leant against a clothes shop wall.

"Rini!" someone shouted.

Snapping open her eyes, Serena straightened up and looked in the direction the familiar voice had come from.

It had come from a man, with striking midnight blue eyes that were looking, bewildered, around the street, before landing on hers, and locking.

"Darien?" she whispered, watching the man walk to her, but unaware of her.

The man blinked twice, his eyes settling on Serena uncertainly. "Serena?" he asked, stopping in front of her.

Serena nodded. "What are you doing here?" she asked, gesturing to the rough end of town.

Darien tried to steady his breathing. "My daughter, Rini, I can't find her," he breathed.

He was wearing another smart black suit, with the top buttons of his shirt undone, and a set of black rosary beads dangling from the shirt, hanging over the top button of his blazer.

Serena frowned. "What do you mean?"

Darien seemed annoyed. "She was in hospital yesterday, and then came home last night unusually quiet, and then when I got back from work today, she was gone,"

Serena glanced around. "Where could she be?" she asked.

"I have no idea. She left her phone at the house," Darien muttered, fumbling in his pocket to pull out a flip-up phone. "The last call is-"

He was cut off as Serena flipped down the phone.

"What?" Darien asked, looking at Serena.

"You can't just look through someone's phone, especially a teenage girl's!" she exclaimed, hands throwing up into the air.

"Why not?" Darien asked, a frown appearing.

"Because," Serena said plainly. "She's already insecure as it is, you have to trust her!"

Darien rolled his eyes. "You're just like my sister,"

"Raye?" Serena asked. "Yes, I know her," she added at Darien's confused look.

Darien looked down at Serena, wondering why the hell she was out in the rough end of town.

"Why are you here anyway?" Darien asked.

Serena smiled. "I'm quitting my job," she said happily, but seemed almost frightened.

Darien was about to congratulate her when he remembered what her job was. "Good," he said quietly, silently elated.

"You know the other night, I didn't mean to-" Serena cut herself off at Darien's look.

Darien raised an eyebrow. "You mean outside my Casino?" he asked. "Don't worry, no one will find out,"

Serena nodded in thanks, her eyes widening when something came back to her memory. "Weren't you looking for your daughter?"

"Shit!" Darien cursed, slipping the phone back into his pocket and grabbing Serena's hand, tugging her along.

They were running down the back streets of town, Serena unable to speak until they had stopped for breath. They had stopped on an empty street, Darien leaning against the back of a shop wall, trying not to get seen on a rough back street like this.

"Why am I coming with you?" she gasped, double over trying to gain breath.

"You can help me," Darien answered, breathing deeply. "Where would you go as a fourteen year old?"

Serena closed her eyes, trying to remember five years ago.

Darien watched her try to think, admiring her intensity and determination to help him. Her face was seemingly calm, but he could almost hear her think, her fists balled at her sides in frustration.

"I can't think," she muttered.

Darien blinked at her words, stepping closer to her, unable to think of what he was doing, he was only acting.

"Serena," he whispered, making her eyes open quickly.

She was about to open her mouth when he pressed his lips to hers, gently pressurising them to respond.

Serena first thought of fighting it; she was independent! She didn't need a man!

But this was Darien.

She pushed gently at his chest, pushing him away from her body, his lips from hers. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I think I know where she could be."

Darien's eyes sharpened then, looking at Serena carefully even though they were stood so close.

"You see, she's fourteen, so she obviously likes romance and boys, so either, she's with a boy, or she'll have gone to think about one. So, she might be at someone's house, at the park or somewhere that means the most," Serena explained.

"How do we know where to start?" Darien asked.

"Where's the closest?" Serena suggested, breath light.

"The park," Darien answered, grabbing her wrist again and tugging her along.

Serena nodded, although she had no idea why as she wasn't exactly accepting, she was more obliging.

But then Darien stopped himself from running, and turned back around to Serena.

"You know," he said quietly. "I'm glad you decided to quit your job."

Serena smiled, but then let it fall. "How do you-"

"My granda," Darien answered grimly. "He knows a lot,"

Serena bowed her head in shame. "Yeah," she muttered quietly.

Frustrated at himself, Darien stepped forward to her. "We can all make mistakes, as long as we learn from them,"

Serena looked up at him. "You really think?" she asked.

Darien nodded. "I'm sure of it,"

Serena smiled, not believing him for one second, but grateful for the thought. "Thank you,"

Darien grinned and turned away, tugging her along the road again, happy as she went along with him.

-

Her fingers were numb, body shivering from the chill in the air, and her face was pale from the recent events in her life. Rini was slowly walking into the East entrance of the park, her pumps barely carrying her that far as she walked quietly. She thought of when she had rung Helios, and their slightly awkward conversation.

"_I just need to talk to you," he said quietly, although they were on the phone._

_Rini frowned. "What about?" she asked._

"_Just meet me at the park on the other side of town, at the lake on the East side," Helios told her._

_Rini smiled. "Fine. But you better tell me why when I get there."_

_Rini could almost hear Helios' grin as he spoke, "Don't worry, I plan to."_

Rini sighed as she saw the lake come into view. She walked over the grass, and sat down by the lake just where Helios had asked her when he had rung earlier, she watched as the moon grew brighter, a small smile taking her lips.

But then her mind filled with thoughts of the night at her Grandfather's. Guilt racked her body at the thought that she had shouted at her grandfather. Who was she to shout at him, after all he had done for her?

Looking down, Rini tried to keep her tears in her eyes.

But that seemed impossible.

Helios smiled as he saw Rini sat by the lake, at the place he had asked her to be. She seemed so in place, the moonlight bouncing off her pale skin, illuminating her wet eyes. Wet eyes?

Picking up his pace, Helios jogged to Rini, seeing that her face was streaked with tears.

He sat down next to her, watching her take note of his arrival, swiping at her face and looking down in shame.

"What's the matter?" he asked softly, looking at her lowered face.

Shaking her head, Rini's heart broke at his tenderly asked question.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" Helios asked, scooting closer to the young girl.

Rini nodded, raising her face to look over the lake. "I'm fine," she whispered, glancing to him. "Honest."

Helios chuckled softly. "Don't lie to me Rini," he said quietly. "I've only known you for about a day or something I know, but I'm not an idiot."

Rini laughed lightly, reminded of her father's 'relationship' momentarily; she didn't even believe there was a relationship.

"And anyway," Helios whispered. "There must be something wrong, and you're not 'fine' as you claim,"

Rini looked at Helios carefully. Who was this boy? Why was he so blatantly trying to find out more about her? Was he being serious? "I don't know what you want from me Helios," she admitted.

"I want you to be honest to me," Helios answered, smiling. "Will you tell me what's up?"

"I told you, nothing," Rini lied.

"Hey, I asked you to be honest," Helios pointed out.

"I didn't agree," Rini said stubbornly.

"So you admit that you just lied?" Helios asked, an eyebrow raised.

Rini let out an exasperated breath. "OK, I lied,"

Helios grinned. "Of course you did,"

"What are you trying to say?" Rini asked, looking over to him.

"That you like to lie to me," Helios admitted.

Rini raised an eyebrow. "Explain,"

"You told me that you don't like fighting," Helios said calmly.

"No I didn't," Rini said thoughtfully. "I said you were an idiot for getting expelled for fighting,"

"Doesn't that mean that you don't like fighting?" Helios asked.

"No," Rini said calmly. "That means you're an idiot."

"Oh," Helios mused. "Coincidentally, do you like fighting?"

"No, I hate it," Rini said quickly.

"So, you just lied to me again?" Helios asked jokingly, "you really need to stop that Rini,"

Rini narrowed her eyes. "Shut up,"

Laughing, Helios leant back on the grass.

Silence fell between the odd couple, both of them thinking to themselves.

Helios couldn't help but wonder what was going on in Rini's mind. What had that girl at school said? What on Earth was going on in Rini's head to start a fight with a girl?

He watched as Rini fell down onto the grass next to him, a sigh escaping from her lips as her chest rose and fell with her breath.

He kept his gaze on her as she looked into the sky, eyes travelling along the stars while he was busy wondering what was going on in her mind. She seemed so different with tear peppered eyes, a whole new girl seemed to be lying beside him than the one he had met previously.

He felt slightly uneasy that he felt he knew her, and yet didn't know her at all.

"What?" Rini asked, not taking her eyes away from the moon.

Helios shook his head in return. Rini only vaguely caught onto his reply, eyes still searching the moon.

Feeling awfully compelled to, Helios roll over so that he lay on his side, almost inviting Rini to join him from closeness. Rini's eyebrows knitted together from confusion, even more so when his head dipped so they were even closer.

"What are you-mmph!" she squeaked as his lips collided with hers.

Her eyes widened in shock, clearly aware of every nerve within her body. The kiss seemed to make her blood boil, and at the same time turn her brain to mush. She couldn't think about anything, but was thinking about everything.

She knew he was trying to keep it simple for her, as he hadn't moved since he kissed her.

Feeling suddenly confident and proud, Rini closed her eyes and began to kiss him back with her inexperienced lips.

Her hands rose to his shoulder and neck, pulling him closer to her while she leant up from the grass to reach him.

Helios smiled into the kiss, letting a hand fall onto the grass to prop himself up. Resting his forearm on the grass above her head, he cradled her neck with the other hand to lead her to the ground.

Rini obliged, her lips tingling against his as he deepened the kiss.

She gasped as his hand fell to her waist, his thumb moving in a circular motion.

Pulling away, Helios smiled at Rini's expression. Her eyes were closed, lips parted while her cheeks held a light blush.

"Sorry," Helios said quietly, blush creeping onto his cheekbones. "I shouldn't have done that,"

Rini's eyes opened, focusing on him. "I didn't mind," she said shyly, her cheeks burning bright red.

Helios laughed softly. "That's good," he whispered, rolling back away from her.

"Care to explain as to why?" Rini asked, following him by rolling onto her side.

"Because," Helios started, resting a hand on Rini's hip and pulling her to his body. "If you don't mind, I would like to do that again,"

"Oh, such a charmer," Rini drawled, rolling her eyes and _trying_ to ignore his hand.

"I aim to please," Helios replied, a grin spreading across his lips.

"You know what's weird?" Rini mused quietly. "The fact that we only met yesterday,"

"How is that weird?" Helios asked, genuinely surprised.

"How is it not weird?" Rini asked, eyes searching his.

"It doesn't matter," Helios said, shaking his head.

Rini frowned as he moved to get up. She clambered on top of him, not allowing him to move.

"What are you doing Rini?" Helios asked, an eyebrow raised.

"I don't understand you," Rini said quietly, her voice soft.

Helios smiled. "That's because I don't want you to," he explained.

"Why not?" Rini asked.

Chuckling, Helios looked into her eyes. "I don't think you'll like me if you knew the truth."

"Do I really come across as that sort of person?" Rini asked, her forehead frowning.

"You have that annoyingly witty way of turning something around, don't you?" Helios laughed lightly and shook his head. "Trust me, you don't want to know."

"Don't tell me what I want," Rini said quickly. "I know what I want."

Helios grinned and leant up on his elbows so that Rini had to hold onto his neck to keep herself in line with his face. She squeaked slightly, giving off a giggle and tightening her hold to keep her balance.

"So Rini," Helios murmured, his light breath brushing against her lips. "What is it that you want?"

Unsure of what to say, Rini looked away from his eyes, gazing all over his face and drinking him in. She brought her fingertips up to trace the outlines of his face. She pressed into his dimples, smiling absently when he chuckled.

"I'm not sure what I want," Rini admitted, sifting her hands through his hair.

Helios looked up to her eyes, searching them endlessly for some sort of emotion that he could name.

When he caught hers.

She couldn't help herself. She had to look at his eyes; they were just overflowing with … God knows what emotion.

Slowly, she moved closer. Her lips only an inch away from his, ever so close. Both their eyes fell to the other's lips, and glanced back up to their eyes.

It seemed different to both of them as Rini dipped her head closer again, her lips brushing against his in the smoothest of motions.

Sparks flew against their lips, electricity flowing throughout each other.

-

Serena was struggling to keep Darien from running over to his daughter and Helios; to rip the poor boy's throat out. Her hands were holding onto his shoulder and waist, standing in front of him so that he wouldn't mow the boy down.

Imagine! Diamond's nephew kissing Darien's daughter!

"Serena," Darien whispered urgently. "Please, let me go,"

Serena shook her head. "Don't you see Darien?" she asked quietly.

"See what, my daughter being molested?!" Darien hissed, distractedly.

Serena took in a deep breath. "No," she said pointedly. "It doesn't matter."

"What doesn't matter?" Darien asked, suddenly still and looking down at Serena.

Serena smiled lightly. "She's kissing him back,"

Darien nearly roared in outrage. "Don't you see that that is a bad thing?" he hissed.

Serena narrowed her eyes. "Don't talk to me like that Mr Shields," she said coldly.

Darien almost fell over at that. "Since when are we back to surnames?"

Serena was about to answer when Darien tried to take advantage of her slack grip, but found that she was actually alert, and knew what he was doing.

"Serena, let me go," Darien pleaded.

Serena shook her head. "Just let her have her moment," she ordered. "She's only fourteen,"

"You don't know her," Darien muttered. "I was the one who raised her!"

Serena curled her lip. "Are you a girl Darien?" she asked.

Darien's eyes widened, suddenly not struggling against Serena's hold. "What the hell-"

"Are you a girl?" Serena asked, pressing on.

"No I'm not," Darien answered. "But I don't see how that has to do with anything,"

Serena sighed. "Your daughter doesn't need her father ruining her special moment. She may really like this boy,"

"Yes, but he's Diamond's nephew!" Darien snarled, staring at Helios.

Serena's arm fell to her sides. "Diamond?" she whispered.

Darien nodded. "Yes, and that bastard better not be plotting something against Rini,"

Serena's mouth suddenly felt dry. The boy who was kissing Darien's daughter was the boy who she had met prior to 'meeting' Diamond. Nausea suddenly grew in her stomach.

"I … don't know what to say," Serena whispered.

Darien's eyes narrowed. This time, he managed to side step Serena, nearly running over to Rini and Helios.

Serena watched the catastrophe right in front of her eyes from her place on the grass. Darien was shouting at Rini, who in turn was looking at the floor along with Helios.

"What would your grandfather think?" Darien asked, voice silkily scary.

Rini raised her head to look at Darien, tears tumbling over her eyes and falling freely down her face.

She seemed livid, her tiny hands drawn into fists at her sides, trying to bite down on her lip as hard as possible.

"You're a bastard, you know that?" she screeched, sprinting off into the darkness of the trees.

Helios immediately went to run after her, but was stopped by Darien's glare.

"Don't, Helios," he said icily. "Just go home."

Helios gulped and stayed still. "Mr Shields, I care a lot for your daughter."

Darien's glared intensified.

"I know that you and my uncle do not see eye to eye. But I am not my uncle, and Rini is not you,"

With that, Helios turned around and walked away into the darkness.

Darien turned to Serena, watching her gaze.

"Do you really think that was the best way of handling things?" Serena asked, biting her lip.

Darien closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'll go get Rini,"

Serena shook her head. "I'll get her, I've got a funny feeling she isn't going to be impressed with you,"

Darien only looked at her helplessly.

Serena smiled weakly. She bent down and pulled off her heels, leaving them on the floor as she ran off in the direction that Rini went.

Darien stood on his own, watching Serena run off after his daughter, slightly awed by the devotion Serena showed to her. He looked at her high heels and sighed, walking over and picking them up.

"She's messed me up," he whispered, shaking his head.

-

It only took Serena two or three minutes to find Rini. She had jogged fast though, impressed that the younger girl could have run that fast with only a minutes head start.

She was sat on a wall outside the park, seemingly with a stitch as she was clinging to her side.

Serena approached her carefully. She made sure to be at least five feet away from her when she announced her presence.

"Um, Rini?" she asked quietly.

Rini only squeaked in response.

Serena's eyes burnt with tears, watching the young girl cry into her lap.

Hurrying over to the girl, Serena sat down on the wall with her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and letting her cry into her shoulder.

"You know Rini," Serena whispered. "There's always going to be that totally shit time,"

Rini's body racked with a watery chuckle, her tears still falling strong.

"But you know what I've learnt?" she asked.

Rini pulled away, shaking her head. "What?" she croaked.

"Your friends will pull you through," Serena answered, a smile on her lips. "So how about it?"

Rini frowned. "How about what?" she whispered.

Serena grinned. "Invite your best friend around for the night, I'll keep your dad away, and we'll get you in a couple of pizzas. Each," she added in at the end.

Rini laughed, until she realised the day. "But it's a school day tomorrow,"

Serena smiled. "You know what, I think your dad owes you. I'll convince him to let you have the day off,"

Rini smiled. "Thank you,"

"You're a good kid," Serena observed. "And, I've met Helios you know. I think he's a nice boy,"

Rini wiped her face. "He is, my dad's just being an arse,"

Serena nodded. "Yes, he is,"

It was quite nice, Darien had thought, that his daughter and Serena got on so well, despite only just having met each other.

And that thought gave him – just a little bit more – hope.

**-**

**A/N: thank you for reading :) New chapter should be up soon. NEW POLL, if you didn't know – vote, PLEASE! Also, if you didn't know, I have a new story; Hidden Truths. It's not like this at all, but you might like it … check it out anyway ^_^**

**I know that a lot happens in this chapter, and it does all seemd a bit crammed, as they've been pretty slow lately, but from now on, tings go pretty fast :) So yeah, yay ! **

**Thank you so much, please review!**

**From Niamh! :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry this is so late ! I really, really apologise. I've been busy with other stories; Hidden Truths, The Blacmail - an Ouran Fic -, Dance With The Devil and Kidnapping Hearts (CHECK THEM ALL OUT, PLEASE!) So yes. I'm trying to ge them all written, and I'm working on an old one - Juuban - which won't be uploaded for a while. It's pretty hot at the moment :) But, alas, I am very busy this time of year (I think Autumn is my mating season - laugh), and I have three final pieces for art to complete by the end of next week :O. So, I'm not going to have much time to write. Plus the fact I'm going to so many parties and gigs (excited much?!) so that I might not have that much time lately.**

**I'll try my best though ^_^**

**Disclaimer; I do not own Sailor Moon, but I'm asking for the manga for Christmas :)**

**_"You know that type of sh*t, just don't work on me; whistling, then trying to flirt with me!"_**

**_3oh!3 ft. Katy Perry_**

Chapter Nine

They were sat in the taxi, Darien, Serena and Rini. Rini was sat by the window, gazing out of it and refusing to talk, Darien was sat by the other window, but was looking ashamed, while Serena was in the middle, her hands on her lap and looking forward.

It was extremely awkward. Even the taxi driver noticed.

Viiibbb. Viiibbb.

Especially when Serena's phone vibrated.

Blushing, Serena pulled the phone from her pocket and flipped it open.

Mina: Hey, where are you? Tb x x x

Serena bit her lip, having forgotten about meeting the girls at her place.

She text back; '_sorry, something has come up I'll be there soon though.'_, and flipped down her phone, glancing at Darien who she was surprised to find looking at her.

_Thank you_, he mouthed.

Serena smiled and nodded, nearly letting out a gasp when he took her hand, his fingers lacing through hers.

Rini glanced to her side, seeing that Serena and her father's hands were linked and instantly felt annoyed.

Why could he do that with the person he liked, but she couldn't?

Reaching for her phone in her pocket, Rini frowned when she couldn't find it.

"I think I dropped my phone," Rini said quietly.

Darien shook his head. "I've got it,"

Immediately, Rini's eyes narrowed. "Why do you have my phone?"

"Because you left it at home and I was trying to find you," Darien said calmly.

Rini glared at him, watching as he pulled out her phone. As soon as it was visible, she snatched it back.

"Rini, I shouldn't have to tell you not to snatch, you're fourteen," Darien warned.

Rini only kept her glare, before turning away and flipping open her phone, seeing eight messages.

Hotaru: Rini, where are you? Your dad rung my house and he can't find you.

Hotaru: Just go home Rini, it's not worth it.

Hotaru: Please just go home Rini!

Helios: Are you OK now?

Hotaru: You're really scaring me Rini! Please just go home!

Hotaru: Rini. I swear, I'm not going to talk to you if you don't get your arse home.

Helios: I'm really sorry about what I did at the park. Are you OK?

Hotaru: Right that's it. I'm coming over. I'll see you at your house.

Rini's eyes softened at the message, her eyes burning again; she had terrified Hotaru.

Suddenly Rini's phone rang silently, no tune playing at all, but making her jump in surprise. She pressed the green button and placed the phone at her ear.

"Rini!" Hotaru's voice almost shouted.

"Yes?" Rini responded weakly.

"Oh thank God," Hotaru muttered to herself, before returning to her phone. "Where are you?"

"In a taxi on the way to my house," Rini answered, glancing at Serena and Darien.

"Good," Hotaru said.

"Where are you, I only just got your text," Rini said.

"I'm sat on your doorstep," Hotaru answered.

"OK, I'll be there in like two minutes I think," Rini said.

"OK, bye,"

"Bye,"

Rini hung up the phone and put it into her shirt pocket, only then realising that she was still in her school uniform.

Serena smiled at Rini, who smiled uncertainly back, an embarrassed blush on her face.

Silence fell around the taxi as it stopped on the street. Rini got out straight away, almost running towards the house, opening the door for herself and her best friend who was standing up to go inside and left the door wide open.

Darien paid the taxi driver, while getting out.

"Serena, are you coming?" Darien asked, leaning back into the taxi.

Serena shook her head. "I better get home," she said quietly.

Darien's eyes widened. "Will you stay with me, please?" he asked.

Serena frowned. "Are you trying to do puppy eyes?" she asked.

Darien grinned. "Did it work?"

Serena raised an eyebrow. "No. But I'll stay anyway. Let me just ring my friends."

Darien nodded. "All right,"

She stumbled out of the car, feeling a bit uncomfortable being in heels all day. She pulled her phone from her jeans pocket, and flipped it open, trying to find Mina's number.

Serena heard a few tones before it was answered.

"Hello?" Raye's voice asked.

"Hi Raye, it's Serena," Serena answered. "Something has come up, so I can't get home tonight,"

"Oh, OK," Raye said, seemingly disappointed.

Serena heard her tell the girls, and then heard a noise that made it obvious that someone had taken the phone.

"Serena, you promised to tell me," came Lita's voice.

Serena smiled. "I will tell you!" she protested. "Tomorrow. I'm sorry, it's just a friend needs me, all right?"

Lita sighed on the other end. "Fine, but tomorrow, will you tell us what's up?"

"I will," Serena promised.

"OK then, bye," Lita hung up.

Serena bit her lip and hung up.

"Everything all right?" Darien asked.

Serena nodded. "Yeah. They just want to know about my _job_ and stuff, you know?" she answered.

Darien tilted his head to the side. "I thought you were quitting?"

"I am," Serena mused, walking around Darien. "But my friends still need to know about my life don't they? And they're going to wonder why I'm moving,"

Darien froze for a second, before spinning on his heels and following her. "Wait, you're going to move?"

Serena nodded, still walking. "Of course I am," she said. "How else can I get away from my father?"

Darien jogged up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder, making Serena stop. "I … um, where will you go?"

Serena shrugged. "No idea,"

Darien blinked. "You want to move away, but you have no idea where you'll go?" he asked.

Serena nodded. "I think of it as an adventure,"

Shaking his head, Darien's arm slid around Serena's shoulders, pulling her along to the house. "Fine, but you have to keep safe."

Serena rolled her eyes. "Protective, are we?"

Darien nodded. "Call it a second nature,"

Serena laughed, walking along with him.

-

Hotaru and Rini had long disappeared to Rini's room after ordering pizza off the phone downstairs. Serena and Darien were sat in the living room, Serena sat on the couch, facing Darien next to her with her legs tucked underneath and her heels pushed to the side, while Darien was sat next to her, facing Serena with his arm on the back of the couch, his head resting in his hand.

"So, you're going on an _adventure_?" Darien asked, picking up his can of beer from the table next to them.

Serena nodded. "That's the plan," she said.

"It's well thought of," Darien said sarcastically.

Serena sighed. "I know, I should really give it more thought, but that will take time and I really can't do this any more, you know?"

Darien nodded. "Yeah, you shouldn't do it any more,"

"I don't know how I'm supposed to explain myself to my friends," Serena said, angry at herself. "I can't believe that I have been this stupidly naïve all this time, that I didn't realise that it wasn't right when I was younger. I've been doing this for three years, surely I have more common sense than this? Am I just a really stupid, bad person?"

She gulped, trying to calm herself down. She looked at Darien, whose eyes were wide and glistening in its natural midnight blue way.

"I don't think it's your fault," Darien said quietly. "Look at before. How you dealt with Rini,"

Serena frowned, confused.

"You're not a bad person Serena," Darien answered, leaning in closer to her.

Serena's breathing hitched from their closeness. She was glancing from his lips to his eyes, trying to focus on something other than the fact that he was far too close for her new independent act.

Ding Dong!

Serena jumped away from Darien, who in turn, blushed and turned away from Serena.

Serena muttered something about getting the pizza and almost ran out to get it. She took it off the pizza boy and paid him, and then shut the door, turning towards the stairs.

She walked up the stairs, wondering where she would turn when she got to the top of the stairs, when the sound of music hit her ears.

She turned to the left, walking down the hall there, almost following the music. It seemed to take her ages to walk down to Rini's room, and when she stopped, she took another two minutes to fully admire the young girl's door.

"I never did what you said that I did when I was gone, for so long!"

Serena raised an eyebrow at the music, knocking onto the girl's door.

The music quietened and Serena heard footsteps towards the door, when it suddenly flew open. Rini stood in front of Serena, while Hotaru was sat on the bed, a remote control for the speakers in her hand.

"Your pizza's here," Serena announced.

Rini smiled. "Great! I'm starving,"

Serena smiled and passed her the two boxes. "Have fun girls," she said quietly, swinging the door to shut.

"Thank you Serena," Rini called back, smiling brightly.

Hotaru beamed at Serena. "Thanks,"

Serena smiled and nodded, shutting the door behind herself.

"Serena?" a voice came.

Serena span around, seeing Darien stood there.

"Darien," Serena said quietly. "I didn't know … I mean-I shouldn't have, no- you know what I mean … we were just …"

Darien just strode towards her, not listening to her babbling on. He silenced her with his kiss.

It was short and sweet, and long-awaited. And when they pulled away both of them wished they hadn't.

"Serena, I know you're going but-"

"I'll stay," Serena whispered, effectively cutting him off. "I'll stay if you just tell me now."

Darien breathed out slowly, grabbing her hand and pulling her down the hall towards his bedroom.

"Serena," he whispered, pushing her against his door. "I don't want you to go."

Serena gulped, watching his eyes as they grew darker. "It could never work-"

"I really like you Serena," Darien murmured.

Serena nodded, twisting the knob on the door and pushing it back. "Will you prove it to me?" she asked, big eyes innocent.

Darien gulped, but nodded. "Yes," he said quietly, following her into his room.

-

They were a tangle of limbs, hair and light breathing, the covers only covering the bottom half of their bodies, their eyes shut serenely with sleep.

The sun enhanced the beauty of both of their skin, filtering in from his window and setting a mellow hue around the room.

Serena's golden hair fell over most of her body, covering most of her stomach, while strands of it lay over Darien's chest and back. Darien's inky hair brushed Serena's shoulder, his lips only just touching her shoulder blade, while his hands were holding Serena's, in front of her body.

A small noise fell from his mouth as he woke up, opening his eyes, all Darien could see was blur at first, but then his vision focused.

Memories of the night before filled his mind, making him smile softly against Serena's pale skin. His hand squeezed hers once before pulling away and untangling his legs from hers, pulling himself out of the bed.

Serena rolled over, still half-asleep as she felt the warm presence leave her. She cracked open her eyes, looking up to see Darien pulling on his previously discarded boxers, unaware of Serena being awake.

Serena was about to say something when she realised that she was naked. She squeaked – although she wondered why as people had seen her naked often enough – and pulled up the sheets to cover herself, when Darien turned around, smiling at her.

"Oh, you're awake," he said quietly, walking back to the bed and leaning down to Serena, kissing her gently on the lips. "Good morning," he whispered.

Serena grinned. "Good morning to you too,"

Darien smiled happily at her. "Sleep well?" he asked.

Serena smiled and nodded, gripping the bed sheets in her fist tighter. She stood up with Darien, who straightened up while she looked around to find her underwear, still clinging to the sheet.

Darien chuckled, and walked over to his lamp, pulling down her underwear from the lampshade and showing them to her.

Serena blushed and scurried over to him, grabbing her underwear from him and trying to pull them on. She stepped into them, and pulled them up her legs as best as she could with the sheets still wrapped around her. Darien grinned and pulled her by her wrist to his body, letting the sheets fall from her grip, surrounding her feet while her body pressed against his, her hands against his chest.

"I wasn't lying last night you know," Darien whispered, looking straight into her eyes. "When I said that I really liked you,"

Serena's eyes widened. "But..." she croaked, before clearing her throat and continuing. "But I'm moving away,"

Darien shook his head. "You could move in with me," he said brightly, smiling happily again.

Serena blinked. "You want me to live with you?" she asked.

"You could," Darien said, shrugging.

Serena pushed away from him, looking at the floor with a blush on her face. "That's a really, really, big thing. I mean, that's bigger than just big. I've not even known you for that long,"

Darien nodded. "I know,"

"How am I supposed to know that you won't just leave-" Serena was cut off by Darien kissing her softly.

It was gentle and swift, as he pulled away too quickly for Serena's liking.

"My answer to your question is, I'm not like anyone else you've ever met before," Darien whispered.

Serena smiled warmly, her eyes still closed from the kiss. Revealing them, Serena looked into Darien's.

"Fine," she answered. "But I'll only live here for a bit, just so my father doesn't suspect anything,"

Darien grinned. "OK," he said quietly, but was secretly thinking that Serena would be staying a little bit longer than she expected. "So, are we gonna get the girls up or what?" he asked.

Serena rolled her eyes and pulled away from Darien, roaming the room for her clothes, while Darien followed her actions.

-

Breakfast could have gone better, to say the least. Serena went to start cooking downstairs – after getting back into her jeans and borrowing a shirt from Darien – while Darien himself had woken up Rini and Hotaru.

When Darien had come downstairs, leaving Rini and Hotaru to get ready, he saw Serena trying to find a frying pan, and chuckled at the sight of her kneeling on the kitchen floor and searching through a cupboard while a packet of eggs was on the counter.

Serena turned around, to see Darien.

"What are you laughing at?" she asked, an eyebrow raised.

Darien smiled. "Nothing," he said, walking over to her while she got to her feet. "But the frying pan is in the dishwasher,"

Serena blushed as Darien opened the dishwasher, steam rushing from it, while he pulled out the frying pan.

"Is it not hot?" Serena asked, referring to the steam.

Darien shrugged and placed it on the stove, making Serena bright red.

"Shut up," Serena muttered, turning back to the stove.

Darien grinned and leant against the counter, watching as Serena attempted to make eggs.

A minute had passed before Darien couldn't contain himself. He grinned and stepped closer to her, her arms wrapping around her waist from behind and resting on her belly underneath his top and locking his fingers together.

Serena smiled as she fried the eggs, feeling Darien kiss the draft of skin that connected her neck to her shoulders, his lips barely touching her skin.

"I need to talk to your father today," he whispered.

Serena almost groaned. "What a turn on Darien," she answered quietly.

Darien laughed happily into Serena's neck. "I just need to give him money,"

Serena suddenly froze. "I forgot about that."

Darien pulled away from her neck. "What's the matter?"

Biting her lip, Serena shook her head. "Nothing," she said, forcing out a smile.

Darien sighed and span her around, making her let go of the pan, leaving it on the oven.

"Serena," he murmured, looking straight into her eyes.

Serena refused to look at him, and instead fixed her eyes onto the wall opposite them.

"Serena," he said more sternly, almost glaring at her now.

"It's nothing," Serena whispered.

"No, seriously now, tell me what's the matter," Darien almost ordered.

Serena glared at Darien. "Are you really demanding me to confess to you?"

Darien smiled grimly and nodded. "Yes,"

Rolling her eyes, Serena shook her head. "It's nothing, honestly," she said sternly.

Darien sighed. "Fine. But you will have to tell me some day, you know,"

Serena nodded. "Not today."

Darien smiled and kissed her again.

-

**AN: Did you like it? I'm honestly worried that I've lost control of this story. I may go and watch some anime to get it off my mind for a couple of hours.**

**Review please, it makes my smile brighter :)**

**Till next time ^_^**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Hey, I am so sorry! I haven't updated ANYTHING in at least a month. But October was a busy month! Everything went bad at one point, but it's all gravy now :) I have an English exam tomorrow, so I'm actually quite excited. It's paper one so it's all grand - that's the 'imagination'/fiction part - so I should be OK ;D I was at a 3oh!3 gig last night, and that was epic and hearing 'I'm Not Your Boyfriend Baby' has given me a new idea for a fic !! :D**

**Does anyone go on FML or MLIA? I think they're hilarious :')**

**I have previously made Serena out to be nineteen (I think) but she's actually 22 - I should have really planned that bette****r but hey ho!**

**Thank you for all the wonderful reviews :) My thoughts at hitting 100 reviews are: wow, I've written a lot. :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon :(**

**_"cause you're still around."_**

**_-3oh!3 (Still Around)_**

Chapter Ten

Her feet fell rhythmically to the beat of the sound.

_"When you lower me down, so deep that I, I can't get out,"_

Her arms were held at an angle that made her seem much more elegant.

_"And when you're lost, lost and alone, yes , you'd think it was the last place, you'd come back for more,"_

Eyes closed, golden hair flying majestically, a faint, peaceful smile placed on her lips.

_"If you don't want me to leave,"_

She was wearing a white leotard with tights, that hardly did her any justice.

_"Then don't push me away,"_

And the purity, and relativity of the song were both far too ironic for Serena.

_"You'd rather blow out the lights,"_

Her happiness was contained in this room.

_"You can watch it all fade, but I'm going nowhere,"_

The room was large, with a high ceiling and tall, leaded windows. The floor was laminated, with large mirrors propped up against the stone walls. The stereo at the back of the hall was emitting the music for her to dance to.

_"I'm gonna stay,"_

She was a vision, and only a vision that her dancing teacher had ever seen before.

_"When you just wanna fight, when you're closing your eyes,"_

Her lips moved along with the music, whispering the lyrics softly. The soft drumming and piano hitting her ears as she poised. She knew that her friends would be coming to her house soon; to question her, no doubt.

_"Cause you don't wanna love me,"_

Tears started to prick at her closed eyes, making her force them open, and look at herself in the mirror. She watched as the woman dropped her arms, stopped moving her legs and take in everything around her. She had never let anyone else see her dancing, and never wanted to either.

But maybe all the secrets, lies and anxiety should have never started, maybe it was time for her to come clean; she was sick of running away all the time.

_"I'm gonna stay,"_

_-_

Outside of her room, was a corridor. The corridor was long and had a short ceiling, quite unlike Serena's dancing studio. The floor was made of marble, as were the walls. In this corridor, stood Nephrite.

He knew of Serena's 'hobby', but never admitted to it. He was waiting for her to leave, so he could talk to her.

Over and over in his head, he was trying to reason his decision.

Of course he couldn't leave Tsukino! He was his right hand man. Didn't that mean anything any more?

Fiddling with his black tie, Nephrite gulped. He knew exactly what Serena would do.

She'd peer up at him in that peculiar manner of hers, and question him with her eyes, and then, out of the blue, she would say, _"do you really mean that much to him?"_

And he would suddenly have to think of a lot more than just leaving Tsukino.

What about Lita?

Lita...

_"You can't push me too far, there's no space in my heart, where I don't wanna love you,"_

The woman was in denial, Nephrite knew that. He could feel it. It was too obvious.

_"And when there's no storm, then how can I feel the calm?"_

He just had to somehow convince her that she was still in love with him.

_"If there's nothing, nothing left to lose, then what is this feeling, that keeps on bringing me, back to you?"_

CRASH!

"What the hell?" someone shouted.

"Lita?" Nephrite asked, wildly.

"Nephrite?!" Lita yelled, jumping from the floor to glare down at him.

"What are you doing here?" Nephrite asked, pushing himself from the floor, only to realise that she had three others with her.

"I don't think we've met," Amy said calmly.

"Yes, I don't think we have," Nephrite answered. "Well, I'm Serena's co-worker,"

"Lie."

It was Mina who had spoken. She had stepped forward, rage in mind and her heart thrumming wildly in her chest.

_"So, I'm gonna stay,"_

The music was still pounding out of the dance studio. Mina raised an eyebrow to Nephrite.

"Please just tell us," she almost pleaded.

Nephrite blinked; he was sure they would attack him. "It's not my place to tell,"

Lita nearly growled. "Nephrite, you're not playing fair!"

Raye nodded in agreement. "Serena is our friend, we need to know what causes her pain so we can take care of her!"

Amy smiled kindly. "We only have a problem with the fact that you're supposed to protect her," she said, almost coldly. "But you're not doing a good job, as she's getting hurt."

Nephrite pinched the bridge of his nose. "What do you want me to do?" he asked, impatiently.

"Take care of our friend!" Lita roared. "What do you think? She's living in bloody denial, she thinks it'll be OK as long as other people are happy, and that's just not right!"

Nephrite froze at her words. He looked down at her, his blue eyes taking all of her in fully. She was still her old, strong and protective self.

He still loved her.

"She's not the only one," he whispered.

Mina's eyes widened between the couple. Striding forwards, Mina shook her head. "Lita!" she cried. "What about Taiki?!"

Lita narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"What do you mean, '_what do I mean_'?" Mina almost screamed. "You have a boyfriend, you can't suddenly be in love with someone we've only known for about two minutes!"

Lita looked at Mina wildly. "What the fuck, Mina?! First of all, I've known Nephrite here for most of my life, we were in high school together, and secondly, I'm not in love with Nephrite!"

Mina raised an eyebrow. "You so are!"

"I told you," Nephrite muttered.

Suddenly Mina, Lita, Raye and Amy all glared at Nephrite.

"You just stay out of this!" Mina yelled, high-pitched.

"Shut up, Nephrite!" Lita screamed.

"Maybe you should keep your opinions to yourself," Amy muttered.

Raye just continued to glare.

"You girls are all so self-centred." Nephrite said calmly. "All you're doing is making more and more problems for yourself, when Serena is dancing in there - you should be talking to her!"

"Dancing?" Mina and Lita both asked.

"Oh," Nephrite muttered.

Mina stumbled over to the non-windowed door, opening it the tiniest bit, just enough to see Serena crumpled on the floor, tears sprinting off her cheeks.

_"When you just wanna fight, and you're closing your eyes, cause you don't wanna love me,"_

Slamming open the door, Lita barged passed Mina and strode over to the crying girl.

"Serena, what's the matter?" she asked softly, falling to her knees in front of her.

Serena looked up, bright blue eyes boring into Lita's green ones.

"I ..." Serena whispered.

"Wait a sec," Lita whispered, her eyes following Mina as she went over to the stereo, switching off the music.

"I need to get away from here," Serena whispered, almost religiously, as though she had been saying it an awful lot recently.

"We can help, Serena," Mina told her, falling down next to her blonde friend.

Serena shook her head, and looked towards Nephrite, who was stood in the doorway, behind Amy and Raye who both wore kind eyes.

"But you have to tell us what has been going on," Lita said quietly.

Serena nodded, gulping.

Ring! Ring!

Grabbing the side of her bra, Serena's eyes widened. "Whose ringing me?"

"None of us," Lita said, shrugging.

She slid her phone out from underneath her leotard and bra and flipped it open.

"Serena?" a male voice came.

Serena felt the air leave her body, glad that it wasn't her father. "Thank God,"

"Are you OK?" the voice asked.

Everyone around Serena listened intently.

"Yes, I'm fine Darien," she answered. "Just tired,"

"I bet," he said, obviously grinning.

Lita gasped. "Serena, you sly dog," she said with a raised eyebrow.

Mina giggled to herself.

"You with the girls?" Darien asked though the receiver.

"Yeah," she answered.

"Invite them to mine tonight,"

"Um OK, what for?" she asked.

"Well, I've invited over Jed and Malachite and some other friends for a few drinks," he explained.

Serena smiled and looked up at the girls. "Darien said I should invite you all over to his tonight, Nephrite, you come too,"

The girls all accepted in various different ways, making Serena smile. Nephrite looked at Serena, startled.

"Please, Nephrite?" Serena asked.

He tried to tolerate the look she was giving him, but caved instantly. "I'll be there," he told Serena.

Serena grinned, while no one but Mina noticed Lita scowl quietly.

-

Darien dropped his phone into his coat pocket.

Wrapped up in his fitted coat, and smart shoes with a navy coloured tie, Mr Darien Shields let himself into the building where he had first met Tsukino.

He couldn't help himself but to smile at who else he had met at that time.

Climbing the stairs took no time at all, he was just glad that he could finally start paying Tsukino back! Anything to cut the ties between Tsukino and him, so that he could finally help Serena.

"Mr Shields," Tsukino greeted when the man walked into the dim room, face stone cold as soon as he saw Tsukino.

"Tsukino," Darien said, with a curt nod of his head, and also looked at the burly man to Tsukino's left in respect.

"So, I believe you have some money for me?"

"Yes," Darien said, pulling out a cheque from his inside pocket and approaching the desk. He set it down and looked at Tsukino, extremely aware of the two men either side of him.

"Five thousand," Darien informed Tsukino.

Tsukino looked over the cheque. "Hm," he muttered. "We have a ten week plan then, five thousand a week?"

Darien nodded. "If that is what you wish,"

Tsukino smiled. "You know, I normally don't let people get away with this," he said quietly. "But I'll make an exception for you,"

Darien smiled harshly. "Thank you," he said, tight-lipped.

Tsukino looked at him carefully, analysing his face.

"I should be going now," Darien admitted. "I have a meeting with someone,"

Tsukino smiled wryly. "Very well, I shall see you next week,"

Darien nodded, unable to speak but turned away, his eyes dark and forbidding. He strode as balanced as he could to the door, trying to get away as quickly but casually as possible. He made it to the door, when Tsukino said something.

"You surprise me, Mr Shields."

Darien raised an eyebrow, although he know that Tsukino could not see that. "How so?" he asked.

"You came to me for money; not my daughter," Tsukino answered, voice broad with an obvious smirk laying there.

Darien's eyes flashed with red. How dare he taunt Serena in his face like that! Use her as an object!

His thoughts soon twirled to fatherhood; Rini.

Turning around, Darien could have killed the man sitting behind his desk so grotesquely and calmly.

"I have had the pleasure of meeting your daughter recently," Darien said icily. "She's a bright, intelligent and elegant woman."

"At least someone thinks so," Tsukino said through his bark of laughter, before suddenly turning cold. "She's off access at the moment, due to my other client; Mr Diamond. So I would respect that you kept your distance from her, you understand, I'm sure."

Darien looked at Tsukino dully, what exactly was he trying to say?

"All I mean is that, you understand, with … Rini, is it?" Tsukino said with sleaze written all over his face. "Clearly, you wouldn't want any man hanging around her,"

So that's his game, Darien thought immediately.

Darien raised an eyebrow to Tsukino, glancing at the man to his left before speaking his next words. "There is one difference between us Tsukino," he said calmly, although his brain was in turmoil. "I love my daughter,"

And with that, he left the room.

-

After hanging up her phone, immediately, Serena had been bombarded with questions.

"What's up with Darien, eh?" Mina always came through.

"Where were you last night?" Lita asked.

"Are you sure you're OK?"

"How long have you been dancing for?"

"Why have you been crying?"

The room was filled with questions after questions, Serena trying to answer each and every one.

But the one that caught them all silent, was a question from Amy.

"Serena, what is your job?" the small girl asked timidly.

Serena's head flew up to Amy. And suddenly, everyone was looking at Serena.

Opening her mouth, Serena tried to answer. "I... I … sleep," she whispered.

Lita frowned. "You sleep?"

Mina's eyes widened. She leaned in closer to Serena. "You sleep with someone?" she murmured so no one else could hear.

Serena nodded, tears bubbling at her eyes again. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Who?" Mina asked, holding Serena's hand in a comforting way.

"Father's clients."

Lita suddenly darkened, having heard the whole conversation. "Your father, makes you … with men who you don't know," she hissed angrily, looking at the ceiling.

"I'll skin the bastard."

Suddenly striding out of the room, Lita barged straight into Nephrite. "Get out of my way."

"You'll be killed Lita," Nephrite said quietly. "I may be his right hand man, but he also has another bodyguard."

Lita scowled at Nephrite. "You're not the boss of me. Now, move out of my way," she commanded.

"No I'm not the boss of you. But at least I know what's right for you,"

Nephrite knew what was coming next.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Lita asked with narrowed eyes.

Yes, Nephrite had been right. She was so predictable. "That I know you."

Mina grinned from the floor, the only one who noticed what was going on as Amy and Raye rushed over to see Serena.

"Are you OK Serena?" Amy asked.

"We'll get you away from your father," Raye promised, her violet eyes gleaming with hope.

Serena smiled. "I'm fine Amy. And yeah, your brother is going to help me. I just need Nephrite to help me too."

"That is a good plan, I'm guessing that you want him to be your spy?" Raye asked.

"Yes, well I want him to break away from my father too, since my father could never think of Nephrite leaving him."

Raye and Amy both nodded in agreement.

"You've really changed from high school Serena," Amy admitted. "In a good way, I mean," she rushed, trying not to offend Serena.

Serena scrunched her brow.

"I just mean, you're thinking things through," Amy said quietly. "You used to dive into things head first,"

Serena smiled. "A lot's changed since high school."

"What the hell Nephrite!"

Everyone's head instantly turned to Lita and Nephrite, who were still arguing heatedly; well, more Lita was arguing while Nephrite was being stubborn.

"Leets, you can't," Serena called over.

The frail girl got to her feet, and walked over to Lita. "Nephrite has done everything he can for me, he's tried his best to get away from my father. But with everything to lose, he can't help but be hesitant."

Ring! Ring!

Groaning, Serena flipped open her phone and set it to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Serena," her father's voice came. "I've just had an interesting conversation with Darien Shields,"

Serena gulped, but didn't speak.

"He says that he has met you," Tsukino said, clearly angry. "When?"

Serena glanced around the room, her eyes falling onto Raye. "He's the brother of one of my friends. I met him when he dropped her off at Rubeus',"

"Fine," Tsukino growled. "Anyway, get to Diamond's as soon as possible. Is Nephrite with you?"

"Yes," Serena answered solemnly. "I'll be there in half an hour."

"Good,"

And with that, Tsukino hung up.

Serena flipped down her phone, and dropped her arm, turning to face Nephrite. "Nephrite, can you give me a lift to Diamond's?"

As predictable as ever, Lita outraged. "What the hell! He's one of _them_, isn't he? You don't have to go Serena!"

Serena shook her head. "It's all part of the plan," she told them. "I'm sorry. I'll see you at Darien's later." And with that she strode from the room, leaving her friends to stare blankly after her and Nephrite, who followed hurriedly.

"Nephrite better help her, she's killing herself." Lita said angrily.

"What about Darien?" Mina asked. "Does he know about the plan?"

"My guess is no," Amy said quietly. "Or maybe he does, but he wouldn't let her still continue with her job."

"He won't notice if he really likes her, you know," Raye admitted. "He's blind to people that he likes, sees them as infallible,"

Mina laughed bitterly. "To think our Serena … I still thought she was a virgin."

"She's twenty two," Lita scolded. "Of course she isn't."

Mina smiled. "Yeah. But I never saw that change in her,"

"It's cause she still is," Raye said happily. "Well, she was. She clearly thought of herself as a virgin. But … last night,"

"With Darien!" Lita jeered, grinning.

"I think, we should let her get on with it," Amy said quietly from the side lines. "She's managed this long, let her live out her plan, we'll help her where it's possible, but don't get in her way. Clearly she needs this for herself."

Lita nodded, smiling wryly to herself. Mina closed her eyes, softly whispering, "fine." While Raye nodded, and said, "we'll get her out of this."

-

**AN: So, what do you think? Not much of SerenaxDarien, and barely any Rini. In fact, it was mainly all business to be honest. I have the next two chapters planned out, so more drama, soft humour and romance shall be on it's way :)**

**I think I'm just gonna focus on this story until it's finished for now - so if you're following my other stories, I apologise in advance because I won't be uploading for a bit on them :(**

**Please review, it honestly helps :)**

**Niamh ! xx**


	11. Chapter 11

**I apologise so very much for the lateness of this chapter, my only excuse is that I left high school, and I've tried as hard as I can to stay in contact with everyone else, and I must admit that my mind slipped from writing for too long. Also, my birthday's on Monday (2nd of August), so I've been getting ready for that and sorting out things :)**

**Anyway, hopefully you'll love it, because I know it was quite … hard for me to write.**

**Some things get quite person in this chapter, hope you can relate to it also, and please review about the chapter detailed because that spurs me on the most!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Sailor Moon, unless two DVD's and a book count ;)**

"_**When we collide, we come together. If we don't, we'll always be apart. I'll take a bruise, I know you're worth it, when you hit me – hit me hard."**_

Chapter Eleven

The sun was soon to set and she knew that she had to be at Darien's very soon.

She jogged away from the house, away from Diamond and away from her career. Just another step away, she had to wait until Darien was free from his debt.

Wringing her hands together, Serena slowed in her pace. She tried to run through her plan, as it was almost obsessively running through her mind.

Act normal, don't let father discover that anything has changed. Wait, until Darien has paid his debt. Get the girls to empty the apartment, one thing at a time until you leave. Leave no traces. Keep on going to theirs to get ready for whatever. Sell apartment on the 'quiet'. Move in with Darien... and then?

Stopping, Serena bit her lip, unable to think of the next part in her plan. What could she do next? Now that everybody knew, which helped in part of her plan – _Get the girls to empty the apartment, one thing at a time until you leave._ – but now that they knew, shouldn't she run away from Diamond?

Dirtiness plagued her thoughts. How could she continue this?

"Miss Tsukino?"

Serena's head whipped up, realising that she was now at the end of Diamond's street, and standing right in front of a young man.

"Oh, hello … Helios," Serena said, putting on a fake smile.

Helios tilted his head to the side. "You're the girl that was with Rini's father,"

Serena nodded, her smile fading a little bit.

"Are you and him together?"

Helios' simple question confused Serena. Were they?

"I'm not sure to be honest," Serena whispered.

Helios raised an eyebrow. "Well then … why were you at my uncle's just now?"

Serena smiled sadly. "It's not something you'd understand."

Helios frowned.

"I didn't mean to patronise you!" Serena said hurriedly.

"It's fine," Helios said smoothly, glancing at his uncle's house.

Silence passed over them.

"Have you spoken to Rini?" Serena asked, looking at Helios.

Helios blushed brightly. "Well, um, she wasn't in school today, so I've not had the chance,"

Serena smiled. "Oh, of course. I made Darien let her stay off school so that she could have a break,"

"Her best friend wasn't in either," Helios said, a frown on his face.

"Yeah, that was my fault too," Serena admitted, looking down.

An awkward silence fell.

"You know … Darien is sure to come round eventually," Serena said softly, looking at Helios.

Helios shrugged. "I don't think so. But even though I like her, she won't disobey her father."

Silence came around again as Helios looked at Serena, his head tilted slightly.

"What's your plan?"

The question was asked so simply, but yet so abruptly, that it took Serena a couple of seconds of shock to answer.

She coughed sheepishly and glanced away from Helios' addictive eyes.

"Plan?" she asked, voice high.

"Well, you're obviously not going to stay like this," Helios said simply. "What are you going to do about it?"

Serena laughed lightly. "Helios, I think that's a bit too much for me to tell you right now. I'll let you know some other time."

Helios blinked twice and simply said, "just make sure you do it as soon as possible. And don't forget anyone." Before walking passed her, down the street and into his house.

Serena frowned, unable to make out what he meant, and also at the fact that she had just taken advice from someone who was in high school.

Viiibb. Viiibb.

Jumping slightly at the sudden vibration in her pocket, Serena blinked rapidly and pulled out her phone. She flipped it open and opened up her new text message.

Mina: Hey Serena, get yourself to Darien's now! We're all here and Lita's already drunk :) x

Serena laughed quietly, shaking her head at the thought of Lita stumbling and slurring words and quickly sent Mina her reply.

I'm on my way now ! Xx

Feeling slightly rushed, Serena started to dial the number of a taxi and quickly ordered one to the end of the road.

The next two weeks seemed to fly over for everyone.

Serena was busy helping Raye with the wedding arrangements, from the bridesmaid's bouquets to the wedding dress. She and her friends slowly moved her belongings out of the house, while she had stayed over at Darien's again and again, both of them being secret lovers and Darien was smiling a lot more – as Rini had told Hotaru rather quickly.

Rini herself had slunk into depression. Unable to see each other, her and Helios both avoided each other during school, and did not even text, apart from one night when he text her goodnight and that he hoped that she was OK.

Rini could not bring herself to reply.

John had noticed her depression, and although his thoughts towards Helios had softened, he still continued with his no-go policy in front of Rini, but pleaded with Darien to soften on her.

It was only when Rini was in school, the week before her Grandfather's birthday that anything remotely interesting had happened to her.

She was sat, doodling on her homework planner in English class, after failing to listen to her teacher ramble on about Shakespeare.

Slowly, she looked around the room, from her boring teacher, to her equally as boring class mates, and then she glanced at the window.

Rini's eyes widened as she saw Helios outside the window. She gasped lightly in shock and turned around to face the teacher.

"The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven, Would through the airy region stream so bright, That birds would sing and think it were not night." The female teacher almost sang, her eyes closed as she portrayed the image of Romeo upon a balcony.

Opening her eyes, the teacher looked straight at Rini. "You dear, tell me, what is Shakespeare using?"

Rini blinked, glancing over to the window again before looking back at her teacher. "Um, rhyming couplets?"

The teacher clapped her hands together, grinning. "Well done Rini!" She pushed her glasses up again and let her eyes leave Rini's face.

Rini relaxed and looked out of the window again, her blush rising again as she saw Helios almost crying from laughter at her embarrassment.

Scowling through her blush, Rini looked back down at her desk, her face hotter than it had ever been before.

Minutes passed slowly until Rini built up the courage to look outside the window again.

Yes, silver hair swished from the slight wind and golden eyes were focused. He grinned at her and pointed at the classroom door. Rini narrowed her eyes and shook her head. Yet again, Helios' grin widened. He pointed towards the door, his eyes filled with humour.

Rini frowned, glancing over to the door, there was nothing remotely funny about it. She looked back to see Helios with raised eyebrows.

COME OUTSIDE, Helios mimed, a smile playing on his lips still.

Shaking her head, discreetly so the class wouldn't see, she denied and looked towards the teacher again.

Somehow, without Rini noticing, the extravagant teacher had put on the video of Romeo and Juliet; probably from a vote of the teenagers she was trying to teach. All of the students were now murmuring to each other, all slumped down in their seats. The teacher sat at her desk, a disappointed scowl on her face while she silently took the register.

Looking at the door again, Rini bit her lip. She wasn't missing anything; she'd seen Romeo and Juliet at least five times before when Hotaru had made her watch it.

"Miss?" she called out, looking at her teacher, whose head shot up like a deer caught in headlights. "I feel really sick, can I go to the nurse?"

Suddenly, Rini knew that Helios' grin had returned.

The teacher's posture seemed to slump at this. She sighed, observing Rini with a sweeping look before nodding and writing her a slip.

Rini half jumped from her chair, suddenly giddy at the thought of seeing him. Of seeing him?

She reached down for her bag, stuffed her planner in it and swung it over her shoulder, and she grabbed her jumper that lay on the floor also.

Walking down her row and then up the middle of the classroom seemed uncomfortable; obviously the glares of the other students.

The teacher looked up at her with narrowed eyes. "You don't look too sick," she commented.

Rini blushed, quite obviously. "Um, it's ..." she said quietly, trying to think of a reason.

The teacher mistook her blush of stupidity for embarrassment. "Oh!" she said quickly, grabbing the note and handing it to the blushing girl. "And if you ever need … implements, just ask,"

"Thank you miss," Rini whispered, going along with the teachers wrong impression, blushing beet red by then, rushing out of the room.

She reached for the door, yanking it open and walking outside, almost slamming it shut and leaning against the wall. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

"Hey," someone said callously, and very close. "So, apparently you have 'lady problems',"

Rini could hear the grin in their voice. Her eyes snapped open, falling straight onto Helios who was stood in front of her, a hand resting on the wall next to her head.

"What do you want?" Rini asked, her blush fading slightly.

Helios chuckled. "Nice greeting," he commented.

Rini just raised an eyebrow.

"Oh nothing really," Helios said quietly, eyes focused on hers. "I was … talking to someone a while ago, about … some things,"

Rini frowned. "So you wanted to …?"

Helios grinned wolfishly. "They reminded me of something,"

Rini rolled her eyes. "If I'm not taking part in this conversation, then I shouldn't be here," she said, but made no move to leave.

Helios shook his head. "Just wait a sec."

Rini sighed and looked up at him, his golden eyes were looking at hers indignantly. She had never seen such emotion in them before. He was starting to worry her.

"I just want to say-" he leant in closer to her, making her eyes widen. His cool breath was tickling her neck and chest, eyes still intent on hers. "-that if anything happens to split us apart, I um ..."

Rini still looked up at him, his close face mixed with confusion and nerves. She watched as he closed his eyes, seemingly from frustration.

"No … I can't be your friend," Helios said quietly, opening his eyes slowly. "I'm sorry,"

Rini shook her head. "No," she said simply.

"What do you mean, 'no'?" Helios asked, pushing away from her.

Rini shook her head, annoyed that she was confused. "No, you can't just say that,"

Helios chuckled slightly. "Rini, I can say whatever I want to."

Rini nodded. "Yes, except that. You can't just stop being someone's friend!"

Helios frowned. "It's not my choice."

"What?" Rini asked, taking a step towards him.

"No, it doesn't matter," Helios said clearly, looking at Rini carefully.

She was everything he wanted and needed. Sure, her pink hair and seemingly red eyes were different, but that didn't matter. He hated the fact that he wanted her. Wanted her a lot more than he had previously wanted, and taken girls.

Her pixie nose was pointing upwards as she tried to stare him in the eyes, while her own were peppered with tears.

"You're not making any sense Helios," Rini pointed out, her composure falling.

Helios caught himself before he crumbled. "Your father doesn't want us to be friends either Rini. Don't deny it,"

Rini bit her lip. "How do you know that?" she asked.

Helios laughed bitterly, looking away from her. "It doesn't matter,"

Rini grabbed his wrist, pulling him back to her. "You're being stupid Helios," she hissed. "I mean … I freaking love you!"

Helios froze.

Rini gasped at what she had said. She … loved him? What? "I didn't mean … um, I'm sorry, yeah, mistake-I want to-"

"Don't be ridiculous Rini," Helios said mechanically. "It's not possible to be in love at this age."

Rini opened her mouth to respond – rather rudely – but he shook his head and snatched his hand from her slackened grip before turning on his heels and walking down the corridor.

"You're just being an idiot!" Rini hissed, tears forming at her eyes.

But Helios continued to walk away from her, until he closed a door behind him, and Rini only caught a slight look of his saddened eyes as he turned around.

Leaving Diamond's house once more, Serena sighed in relief that it was nearly over. She simply had to wait another month until she was free from her father and her _career_.

She hated feeling like a common prostitute, and had headed home quickly to get a shower.

Slipping out of her clothes quickly, Serena threw them across the room to her dirty clothes basket and rolled her shoulders.

She made her way across her bedroom, to her bathroom where she picked out her favourite shampoo, conditioner and shower gel to use from the bag she was using for when she went to Darien's.

She stepped out of her underwear and into the shower, gently placing the bottles at the floor of it and closing the shower door behind her.

She smiled at the thought that nothing could ruin her shower, not even her father.

Two hours later and Serena was tucked up in her bed. She smiled sadly because she was going to leave the bed behind, mainly because it could not be moved from the flat – it had taken four men to get it in there – and Amy pointed out, rightfully, that moving furniture would look suspicious.

Her phone right next to her arm vibrated.

Serena rolled over, choosing to ignore it.

Viiibbb. Viiibbb.

Groaning, Serena groped around for her phone, finding it and glancing at it.

arien calling.

Serena smiled softly and answered it.

"Hey," she answered.

"Hello," Darien said back. "You doing anything?"

"Does sleeping count?" Serena replied, frowning.

"Sorry," Darien said, but not sounding sorry at all. "I'll leave you to it then."

"Wait-why did you ring me?" Serena asked, sitting up.

"To say goodnight, of course," Darien answered smoothly.

"Oh, OK then," Serena said, confused – something was not right.

"I'll see you then," Darien said softly.

"You didn't even say good-" she only heard the tone of him hanging up "-night."

Serena frowned for a moment, but then rolled her eyes and looked out of her window, it was still light. It was only seven o'clock.

She fell back on her bed and looked away from the window as she threw her phone aside and shut her eyes.

It felt like hours later, but in fact it was only half an hour that she was woken again by warm arms sliding around her and holding the small of her back.

"Goodnight," Darien whispered against the top of her head, kissing it softly.

**AN: Please, please review, it keeps me happy :)**

**Till next time, and let's hope it's not too late!**


	12. Chapter 12

**I'M REALLY REALLY REALLY SORRY. I KNOW IT'S BEEN LIKE 10 MONTHS or something like that. I have some explaining to do! Basically … college is murder. I actually wrote this chapter only today, and wanted to get it out here, so that it means I can focus on my college work harder over the next two weeks!**

**I'm really sorry.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon, nor do I pretend to etc.**

"**It was always you."**

Chapter Twelve

The night of the party came too quickly for Serena to keep up. She had been told – by a rather excited Rini – that the party was set in the theme of masquerade, and looking at her invitation (that she had kept safely in her purse), she smiled happily. She was also clutching a gift bag, which contained socks, a card and a fancy box where Darien's grandfather could but his tobacco for his pipe.

Everything seemed to be going perfectly.

That is probably why it did not come as much of a shock that her father had also been invited.

"I'm sorry," Darien had said sadly, when she asked him about. "My granda thought it would be appropriate, since he gave us the loan to help fund it, and it would be suspicious if just you were invited."

Serena had nodded, accepting his answer and not wanting to talk because she was thinking about Darien's grandfather.

Who was this man?

She pondered this, waiting outside of the Casino for her father. She could already hear the live music inside. She was extremely happy with her choice of clothing, just a white dress that fell to just above her knees and a really cute pair of white heels she found in Mina's wardrobe. Lita had found a matching mask for her to wear, a little lace mask that just covered her nose and eyes that Serena was now holding in her hands, trying to be gentle with it, although that was hard enough as she was extremely excited for the party. She was also extremely excited to see Darien, as she hadn't seen him since after the night he stayed at hers.

Her father must have noticed her excitement, as when he stepped out of his taxi, a pompous cigar dangling out of his mouth, waiting to be lit, he stopped in his tracks.

"What are you wearing?" he asked angrily, approaching her.

Serena flushed a deep colour of magenta and turned to walk inside the Casino. Her father coughed. She turned around, and he stepped in front of her, lighting his cigar as he entered, her blush refusing to let her be.

xxxx

As she entered, Darien's previously hard and cold stare softened.

He watched as she handed hers and her father's tickets and his granda's present to the rather dapper young man behind the doors. He saw her enchanting smile, how the skin stretched over her cheekbone, while the young man smiled just a genuinely back.

Something clenched Darien's insides as he saw their exchange, but a slow relief came when something with huge breasts spilling out of a too-tight purple dress pushed Serena forward so she could talk to the young man.

Darien watched as the blonde descended the stairs, his eyes trailing over her appearance. She was wearing a thin, floaty white dress that just hit the rim on her knee-caps, along with dainty heels that elongated those already mile long legs.

She was holding a lacy white mask to conceal the top of her face, and with two cat like eye holes. She was just … just, he couldn't even think of words that would do her justice.

She was indescribable.

"There's your love!" Andrew hissed in a laughing matter, looking over at the purple-dressed Beryl, who was eyeing Darien with hungry eyes.

"Yes … yes she is," Darien whispered, eyes not leaving Serena.

And then something appalling occurred to him ,

xxxx

Serena's father spent most of his time talking business with Darien, until John sidled into the conversation to greet Ken himself, giving Darien a chance to escape.

Serena, breaking away from a conversation with Raye who was dressed in her usual vivacious red but this time adorned a black and red mask, started to walk over to Darien. However, Darien shook his head subtly, and beckoned over a top-hat and tailed-coated waiter.

Serena looked confused, but took this time to examine Darien. He wasn't wearing a top hat, but he was wearing tails, and his black dress pants were just baggy enough for Serena's imagination to wander, when suddenly a deep voice spoke to her from behind.

"Miss?"

The voice was the waiter, and he smiled graciously as she whipped around, nearly tripping over her own feet.

"Mr Shields has requested your audience in a parlour, if you consent, then I will show you the way."

Serena nearly laughed at the secrecy that Darien was going to, but settled for a smile.

"Lead the way!" Serena said, trying to look serious.

The waiter looked slightly startled, but also reassured. Evidently, Shields was an intimidating boss to have.

It was a prolonged walk to the parlour, she had been almost rugby tackled into a hug from Rini on the way, and entered a full blown conversation with Rini full of compliments on each other's dresses and masks, Rini was wearing a hooped dress that looped down around her legs – apparently her father had insisted on taking her shopping instead of letting Raye take her. But this did not faze Rini at all, she seemed as excited as anyone in the room, and only when Raye and Mina walked over, did Rini leave Serena's side.

"Thanks, I need to go see someone," Serena said gratefully to her friends.

"We know," Mina answered with a wink.

Serena blushed and turned to the waiter who was staring blankly into their conversation.

"Hey, are you OK?" Serena asked timidly.

He did not answer.

Serena frowned, but Raye sighed.

"Hey!" she said loudly, and the waiter snapped awake.

"Sorry miss, and miss, and miss," the waiter said politely in his deep voice. "Are we on our way miss?" he added to Serena.

Serena nodded, and Raye and Mina slunk away to find Rini.

They walked away from the loud music from the party in silence through a small and discreet door, up a set of lavish stairs and down a hallway which was lit by the silvery moonlight, and when they arrived at the private parlour, the waiter motioned for Serena to open the door.

"I will be downstairs, attending to the party," said the waiter calmly.

"O-OK," replied Serena, a little bit confused.

She pushed open the door, and saw Darien facing a window, pouring himself a glass of whiskey.

The room was lavishly decorated, with leather couches and wooden floor, wooden tables, wooden door and a wooden frame around the window. It all seemed a little bit too repetitive for Serena's liking.

"Hey … Darien?" Serena called, feeling a little bit insignificant.

"Oh Serena, you're here," responded Darien, his tone slightly off. He turned around, and for what seemed the first time ever, he looked broken. "Sit down."

He seemed as though he had not slept in days, he hadn't shaved for a few anyway, by the look of his stubble, and he seemed to be slightly resolute in what he needed to say.

"Are you OK, Darien?" Serena asked, attentively, sitting down on a leather couch.

Darien's eyes flashed and for a moment Serena's mind filtered a wild idea that he may attack her, but seemed to think better of it as he smiled at her.

"I am perfectly fine, are you?" he responded, his voice as charming as ever.

"Uh, I'm all right," Serena answered cautiously, eyeing his smile as though trying to make it fall. "How come-"

"Would you like a drink?" he asked, his smile unfaltering.

"Sure..." Serena replied slowly.

"Would you like wine?" Darien asked.

Serena nodded.

There was an awkward silence, only broken by the chink of glass when Darien brought out a bottle of wine from a cupboard, and the scraping of the bottom of the glass against the wood.

"How come you wanted me to come here?" Serena blurted out as Darien handed her the glass.

Darien smiled simply, "I wanted to see you, and the presence of your father would not let me do this."

So Serena got her answer, however, she felt foolish for not asking why he was so tired looking, although she felt safer now as he sat next to her. He relaxed completely, curling an arm behind Serena so it rested on the back of the couch, and his leaning back so his neck was fully exposed.

Everything about their situation was worrying. Something was wrong with Darien, and he wasn't going to let Serena know what it was until she cracked him.

Serena put down her glass on the wooden table in front of them and pressed a hand onto Darien's chest, sitting on top of her legs. "Darien, what's going on?"

Darien did not look up at her, and only pulled out a cigarette box from his pants and pulled one out for himself, lighting one with a match from the packet in his breast pocket and replacing everything. He stood up and grabbed an ashtray from the windowsill.

Serena watched as he walked back to the couch, placing the ashtray on the table in front of them and resumed his previous position.

Serena had backed away from him slightly, preferring to be a little bit further away from him. He seemed slightly dangerous at this moment.

"Darien?" Serena asked quietly.

"Yes, Serena?" Darien answered, not looking at her.

"What's going on?" Serena repeated.

Darien shook his head. "Nothing."

Serena sighed. "There clearly is! You're acting all distant, and you called me in here when you know you can come over to my apartment after the party, and you're smoking?"

Darien shrugged. "Nothing is the matter."

Serena got up. "Fine," she said stubbornly, and walked towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Darien asked, sitting up and looking at her in shock.

"I'm going to go back to the party," Serena answered. "There's no point in me staying here if you're not going to talk to me."

"Serena, wait!" Darien called, stubbing out his cigarette into the ashtray and jumping to his feet.

She did not respond. Darien jogged out of the room, seeing her walking fast towards the stairs. Darien caught up with her and grabbed her arm, but Serena pulled away, looking annoyed and slightly disgusted.

"I'm sorry," Darien whispered.

Serena shook her head. "No you're not."

Darien pulled her close to him, and stopped her from walking any further. He pulled her against him and smiled. She huffed and crossed her arms, looking away.

He sighed and pressed his forehead to hers, electricity sparking between them. Her innocent lips, only bruised by one other were separated ever so slightly, small sighs falling from them.

"It's ridiculous," he whispered, eyes closed in concentration. "The amount of girls out there, and I fall for the one who drives me insane."

**AN: I know it's short but you know, this took me two hours to write, and I literally came up with it today.**

**Please point of plot holes etc to me.**

**I love you all a lot – thank you for sticking with Debts for all this time! It's been ages now! Isn't it like two years or something by now? You could review if you like ;D**

**Anyway, lots of love from Niamh!**


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